Outside of Pallet Town BEING REWRITTEN
by Blueman-436
Summary: To help her son overcome his shyness, Matt's mom sends him out on a Pokemon Journey. Will he be able to travel the land of Kanto on his own? Then again, he isn't really on his own. Rated T for later events. ON HIATUS
1. Picking the Paint for My Pallet

OUTSIDE OF PALLET TOWN

Chapter One: Picking the Paint for My Pallet

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Matthew had long, dark brown hair that would curl up if he didn't dry it right. He hated the curls, so he always covered them with his Indigo League cap. The curls didn't really look that bad, but he felt that everyone looked at them, and he didn't like being look at. This was because he was shy, very shy.

"Matt honey, why don't you come on down stairs?" Matthew's mother called up to him from the bottom of the staircase. She wanted Matthew to get over his shyness, so she asked the local Pokemon professor to give him his own Pokemon.

Matt walked down the stairs, wearing his black undershirt, red vest, and old ratty bluejeans. "Okay Mom,... I'm coming." the ten year old boy said.

"This will be great for you sweetheart. It will give you so many chances to meet new friends, humans and Pokemon alike." she said and hugged her son.

"Yeah, yeah..." Matt said, and weakly hugged her back. "Well, I think I should be heading over to the lab now... he's probably waiting on me."

"I think you're right sweetie." she said, giving him another big squeeze. "I love you Matt, and you know you can call me any time right? All the Pokemon Centers have a phone and they'll let you use it for free, so don't ever feel like you can't."

"I know Mom." he said. "Well... see ya later."

"Bye honey!" his mother said as he walked out the door.

Pallet Town was a small town in South-West Kanto. It had that small town feel, where everyone knew each others name, and greeted anyone who passed by. Since all the residents primarily walked or rode bikes for transportation, all of Pallet Town's roads were made of either dirt or gravel.

Matt had lived in Pallet Town since the age of five. After his father died, he moved from there from Cinnabar Island, a small island town to the South. Because Pallet was such a small town, Matt was sheltered from the outside world. That was another reason his mother wanted him to go out on a Pokemon adventure.

"Professor Oak?" Matt called into the laboratory as he opened the door.

"Gramps isn't here." a voice called from the fall corner. Kayne, Professor Oak's grandson, was sitting at one of his grandfather's desks sipping a cup of tea. He was wearing the same dark violet shirt as always, with his yellow and green yin-and-yang medallion. "You here for a Pokemon or somethin'?"

"Yeah,... I am." Matt said shyly. Even though he had grown up with Kayne, he still felt shy around him. He was this way with most people though. The fact that Kayne acted like he was better than Matt didn't help matters either.

"I don't know why you'd even bother. You'd never make a good trainer. Just look at ya. I'd feel sorry for any Pokemon that wound up in your PokeBall." Kayne said. "If you still wanna find Grampa, I think he was near the town exit, up by Route 1." he said.

"Thanks." Matt said quietly and walked back outside. "He's right. I'm just going to fail at a trainer, just like everything else I've tried." he said to himself as he walked up towards Route 1. He truly believed what Kayne had said to him, but he did not want to disappoint his mother. "I... I have to try. Even if I fail... at least I tried. Right?"

Matt continued walking up the dirt path until he reached the edge of town. When he reached the sign that dictated the town limits, he stopped and looked up the road that went to Viridian. He had never been outside the town by himself, and that scared him. Wild Pokemon lived in the tall grass that lined the pathways, and they could attack him at anytime. "Hey! Hold up a second!" a voice called to Matt just as he was about to step out.

"Oh... Professor Oak." Matt said as he turned towards the voice.

Professor Oak was an older man, around his mid-sixties. He had beige hair, and thick dark eyebrows, and always wore a white lab coat and tan dress pants. "Matt... you know you shouldn't venture out of town on your own. You should always be with an adult, or at least a Pokemon to protect you." the man said.

"Actually Professor, that's why I came to find you. My mother said that you had a Pokemon to give me, or something like that." Matt said. "She wants me to start a Pokemon adventure."

"Oh, I was supposed to give that to you today?" Oak asked. "Well, if that's the case, follow me back to the lab." the professor said and lead Matthew back to the laboratory.

When the walked inside, Kayne was still sitting at the desk, waiting for his grandfather. "What took you so long Gramps?" he asked.

"Kayne? Oh, that's right, I promised to give you a Pokemon today as well." Professor Oak said. "Right then, come with me." he said and lead the boys to the back of the lab where he stood in front of two tables. One of the tables had three PokeBalls sitting on it, and the other had two pocket-sized devices. The devices looked similar to books, one being red, while the other one green.

"Come on Gramps, give me my Pokemon so I can get out of this dirt town!" Kayne shouted.

"Be patient boy." Oak said. "When I was younger, I was a very dedicated Pokemon trainer, challenging multiple leagues across the world. Even now after I've retired from training, I could not tear myself away from Pokemon. That's why I became a Pokemon researcher." he explained. "Now, I only have three Pokemon left, and I'd like both of you to choose one.

"You're giving us your old fart Pokemon? What are they, like eighty years old?" Kayne asked.

"No, these are young Pokemon. In Kanto, Johto, and Sevii, the Indigo League gives out three particular Pokemon to official league representatives, such as my self, to give out to new trainers. These Pokemon are the Grass and Poison Pokemon Bulbasaur, the Fire Pokemon Charmander, and the Water Pokemon, Squirtle."

"So you're gonna give us the same ol' Pokemon that tons of other kids across Kanto and Johto get? That's lame! Why can't we get some sort of super Pokemon, like a Dratini or Eevee?" Kayne asked.

"I don't see anything wrong with them. My mom always says that any Pokemon can become strong if you raise it right." Matt said.

"Shows what you know! You'd probably take a Magikarp as your first Pokemon and be happy with it! Pathetic." Kayne said.

"Yeah... I guess." Matt said, looking to the ground.

"Remember Kayne, even a Magikarp can grow up to be a Gyarados." Oak said. "That goes for all Pokemon. Matthew's mother is right."

"Fine, I'll take whatever. I can catch better Pokemon while I'm on my journey anyways." Kayne said. "So hit me Gramps. Give me your best one."

"Best one? I'm sorry, but that's not for me to judge Kayne. These three Pokemon are equal in power and in potential. Also, with that attitude of yours, I think I'll let Matthew here choose his Pokemon first." Oak said. "So Matthew, which one would you like?" he asked, motioning to the PokeBalls.

Matt stared at the PokeBalls for what seemed like an hour. It was almost an impossible choice to make. All three Pokemon could become an awesome partner for a new trainer.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Matthew has been given the chance to choose his first Pokemon. What Pokemon do you think he will choose?


	2. I Lost The Game

OUTSIDE OF PALLET TOWN

Chapter Two: I Lost the Game

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

"Bulbasaur." Matt answered at last.

"Well, that's a stupid choice! Everyone knows that Grass Pokemon are the weakest!" Kayne said.

"That's not true at all Kayne. How would you like to come face to face with a Venusaur, or an Exeggutor?" Professor Oak asked his grandson.

"Well, then I'd just take out a Fire Type and burn them to hell!" Kayne answered.

"But then, what if you were attacked by a Dugtrio?" Matt asked, almost too quiet to hear.

"We aren't talking about Ground Types Matt, we're talking about Grass weaklings." Kayne said.

"I think what he's saying is that all Pokemon have a weakness. Even though you might have a Fire Pokemon that's strong against a Grass Type, if you come up against a Ground Type, you'll have to have another plan." Oak explained. "I think Bulbasaur is a great Pokemon Matthew, and a perfect choice for you." he said, and handed Matt the PokeBall.

Matt gazed down at the PokeBall in his hands, unable to comprehend the fact that he had his very own Pokemon.

"Whatever!" Kayne said and spit on the laboratory floor. "Then I'll take Charmander. Like you said, all Pokemon have a weakness, so I'll take Bulbasaur's!"

"Charmander is a good Pokemon as well. In fact, they are all three very good starting Pokemon." Oak said, and handed Kayne the PokeBall that contained the Fire Pokemon.

"So Matthew, now that we both have a Pokemon, do ya wanna battle?" Kayne ask and made Matt gasp. He wasn't anywhere near ready to have a battle, especially with Kayne.

"Kayne!" Oak shouted, making Matt flinch. "Why do you always have to do things like this? It's just like when your father brought that Growlithe home. As soon as he let it out of its PokeBall, you wanted to teach it tricks. Why can't you just enjoy your Pokemon awhile before making it battle?"

"Growlithe was a pet, and pets are supposed to do tricks. This Charmander is my first Pokemon as a trainer, and a trainers Pokemon are meant to battle." Kayne answered.

"Is that all you see Pokemon as?" Oak asked.

"What do you mean, Gramps?" Kayne asked back.

"If you can not see it now when it its mentioned, then you can not learn it by me telling you. It will have to be something you discover on your own." Oak said.

"Well, whatever." Kayne said, then directed his attention back at Matt. "Still, I want to battle you Matthew."

"You are both Pokemon trainer's now, so I can not stop you. Battles come naturally to trainers." Oak said.

"So... Matt. Battle?" Kayne asked.

"I wouldn't have any money to pay you if I lost..." Matt said.

"You mean _when _you lose, right?" Kayne laughed. "Fine, we'll have a battle without a wager. Sound okay?"

"Okay,... I guess... w-we can battle." Matt said, enlarging his PokeBall by pressing the button in the center. Kayne did the same. "Just remember, I've never battle before... s-so I won't be very good."

"It's not like I expected any different. I just wanted to show off my new Pokemon." he said, tossing the PokeBall into the air. The PokeBall opened in mid-air and released a blinding white light. A small, orange, lizard like Pokemon with a fiery tail appeared on the ground after the light faded away.

"Char? The Charmander asked, looking up at Kayne.

"It's nice to meet you Charmander, I'm Kayne, your new trainer. Your job right now is to humiliate that guy over there and his Pokemon." Kayne said, and Charmander focused its attention on Matt.

"G-go Bulbasaur." Matt said, pressing the button on the ball, releasing the Pokemon inside for battle. A bluish-green, toad-like Pokemon with a plant bulb on its back appeared in front of him.

"Saurbulba?" the Grass/Poison Pokemon asked, looking up at its new trainer, much in the same way Charmander had done to Kayne.

Matt looked down at his Pokemon and smiled with pride. "I'm your trainer now Bulbasaur. My name's Matt and I hope we can be friends, and work together and stuff like that." Matt said to his Pokemon. He did not seem to be afraid to talk to Bulbasaur like he was with most people. He had always been like that, shying away from humans, but never from Pokemon.

Before moving to Pallet Town, his mother would always take him to the Cinnabar Gym he would play with the Gym Leader's Pokemon. He still remembered the Ponyta that he had befriended there.

"Great! Now let us begin!" Kayne shouted, and Matt tensed up. "Charmander, use Scratch!" he commanded, and Charmander lunged at Bulbasaur, slashing it across the face.

"B-bulb!" Charmander cried.

"Be careful Matt. You should always try to keep your Pokemon safe in a battle, as well as try to inflict damage on the opponent." Professor Oak said.

"R-right... Bulbasaur, use Tackle!" Matt said with little confidence, and Bulbasaur charged at Charmander, attempting to slam its body into the Fire Type.

"Dodge it Charmander, and use Scratch again!" Kayne shouted, and before Bulbasaur could make contact with its Tackle, Charmander jumped out of the way then immediately slashed at the top of Bulbasaur's seed, causing critical damage.

"Saaaaaaar!" Bulbasaur cried out in pain.

"Alright! Critical hit!" Kayne screamed in delight.

"S-saur..." Bulbasaur moaned, and then collapsed on the floor.

"Wh-what happened?" Matt asked, running up to Bulbasaur, and picking it up from the ground.

"It ran out of HP. All Pokemon have Hit Points, which is a way of measuring their stamina in battle. When a Pokemon runs out of HP, its faints, and if that is the last Pokemon the trainer can use in the battle, they lose." Professor Oak explained.

"S-so... I lost?" Matt asked, already knowing the answer. "Return..." he said, putting Bulbasaur back into its PokeBall. Bulbasaur turned into a red energy, and was pulled back into the ball.

"I knew I'd win!" Kayne laughed. "Charmander, return!" he said, putting his Pokemon back into its PokeBall. "Well, seeing that you didn't leave a scratch on my Pokemon, I guess I'll just go ahead and go. The sooner I start this journey, the sooner I can become a Pokemon Master."

"Hold on a second Kayne. I want to give you something else before I go." Professor Oak said and started to walk towards the other table. "Don't worry Matthew. It was your first battle, and there's never any shame in losing. There is always a winner and a loser in every conflict."

"What is it Gramps?" Kayne asked.

"Well, first of all, I'm going to give you both ¥3,000. This will help you in your journey, as you will need to buy items like Potions, Antidotes, and PokeBalls." Professor Oak said and handed both of the boys a wad of money. "Secondly, I'm going to give you each a PokeDex."

"Thank you Professor." Matt said after being handed the money and the red device.

"What is this thing?" Kayne asked, opening his green device, revealing a screen and quite a few buttons.

"That, Kayne, is a PokeDex. Its an electronic encyclopedia that I have invented that houses information on all of the Pokemon native to the Kanto and Johto regions. It will help you greatly on your journeys, but will also help me in some ways." Professor Oak explained.

"How will it help you Gramps?" Kayne asked.

"Well, you see, there seems to be an unending number of Pokemon being discovered every year. In the past two years, Pokemon like Lapras, Ditto, and Jynx have been discovered in hidden locations across the land. I would like you boys to track down these rare Pokemon, and catch them so I can do more research on them. Of course there are many more than those three, and possibly more that wait undiscovered." Oak said.

"Sweet!" Kayne said, and shoved the PokeDex into his pack.

"Thank you Professor Oak, I do my best to help you with this... Poke... Dex..." Matt said.

"I know you will Matt." Oak said, and placed his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Now, off with you two! Start your Pokemon journeys and may you become great!


	3. The Road to Viridian City

OUTSIDE OF PALLET TOWN

Chapter Three: The Road of Viridian City

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Matt's Party: Bulbasaur

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

"So, this thing knows stuff about Pokemon..." Matt said to himself while looking down at the PokeDex Professor Oak had given him. He pulled the PokeBall containing Bulbasaur off of his belt, and pressed the button. "Come on out Bulbasaur!" he called, and the Seed Pokemon appeared in front of its trainer from a flash of light. "Let's see what it says." Matt said, aiming the devices lens at Bulbasaur.

"_Bulbasaur, the Seed Pokemon. A strange seed was planted upon its back at birth. The seed grows with the Pokemon_." the device said in a computerized voice.

"Huh, that's pretty cool." Matt said.

"Saur!" his Pokemon replied happily.

"Okay, well, we should probably get going. Bulbasaur, return." he said, and Bulbasaur was put back into its ball. "But... now what do I do? Where should I go first?" he asked himself. "I know Cinnabar Island has a Gym,... but I don't want to waste all the yen Professor Oak gave me on a ferry. I dunno... maybe Viridian City has a Gym or something..." he said, and trudged off North, towards Viridian.

The main goal for all Pokemon trainers is to become the champion of their regions Pokemon League. To become the champion, a trainer must challenge and defeat eight trainers known as "Gym Leaders" and earn their official Pokemon League badges. After a trainer has earned eight of these badges, they then have the right to challenge the current champion for their title.

"Maybe I should just travel around Kanto for awhile, ya know, catching more Pokemon. I don't have what it takes to beat a Gym Leader, not know anyways. Besides, all Mom wants me to do is gain some confidence, and if I get a bunch of Pokemon friends, I should be fine." Matt said to himself.

Matt walked to the very edge of Pallet Town and stopped. He looked down the long path that was Route 1, and then back at the town. In the entire time he had lived in Pallet, he had never ventured out on his own. "Here we go Bulbasaur." he said, and took his first step over the boundary.

It was a bright, sunny day, and the longer Matt walked up the path, the more he started to like the idea of becoming a Pokemon trainer. He smiled as he walked, thinking of all the Pokemon he would get to see. The fact that he would have to talk to strangers didn't even darken his mood. "This is great!" Matt said aloud. "I an do whatever I want now. I can stay up as long as I want, eat whatever I want, and whatever else I want!" he said with a grin. He loved his mother, but sometimes he felt like he was being smothered. She had set a bed time for him that was hours before any of the other kids and school, and he could only eat whatever was on his mother latest fad diet. Sometimes he thought that her smothering was what had made him so shy and soft.

"Pwwo pwo!" Matt heard a noise coming from behind a bush. He walked over to it, cautiously crouched down, and then slowly pushed apart part of the bush to peer inside. On the other side of the bush was a family of small, brown, bird-like Pokemon. About ten or twelve Pidgey were rolling in the dirt, giving themselves dust baths. Matt watched them for a few minutes, thinking to himself what he should do next. He was a trainer now, and trainers caught Pokemon. He decided to check what the PokeDex had to say about them before he went any further.

"_Pidgey, the Tiny Bird Pokemon. A common sight in forests and woods. It flaps its wings at ground level to create Sand Attacks_." the PokeDex said. Matt returned the device to his pack, and then turned his attention back to the Flying Pokemon.

"They look so happy together..." Matt said in a whisper. "I can't just take one away from its friends." he said, and then realized something. "Oh, I don't have any empty PokeBalls anyway..." PokeBalls were one of the most important tools for a trainer on their Pokemon journey. They were used to capture wild Pokemon, making them part of a trainers team.

Matt stood up, brushed the dust from his knees and started walking North once again to Viridian City. There was no point in fussing over the Pidgey if he had no means of capturing them. In Viridian City he would stop at the Poke Mart and pick up a few things with the yen that Professor Oak had given him, among other essential items to his quest.

"Hey kid, how's it going?" a voice called to Matt from up the road. A middle aged man with short, black hair was walking down the path in the opposite direction. "J-just f-fine." Matt answered. He recognized the man as the delivery man from Viridian City, as he would often drop off packages to the residents of Pallet.

"Hey, that looks like a PokeBall on your belt there. I guess that makes you a trainer." the man said. Underneath the mans straw hat, Matt could see a slight smile.

"Y-yes sir." Matt said.

"Then I've got a gift for you. A sample from the Viridian Poke Mart." the man said, and started to dig inside of the bag he was carrying. "Here, take this potion. If you use one of these babies on an injured Pokemon, it'll help heal some of its HP." he said, handing Matt the purple spray bottle, and the boy placed it in his backpack.

"Thank you s-sir." Matt said, trying not to make eye contact.

"No problem kid." the man said, and then looked past Matt for a second. "By the way you were walking, I could guess you came from Pallet Town. Is that right?" he asked.

"Yes sir, I just l-left there." Matt said, wishing the conversation would end. He began to take back all the thoughts about being on a journey.

"Is that so? I'm actually headin' to Pallet right now to take a delivery to Professor Oak." the man said. "You wouldn't happen to know the professor, would ya?"

"Not very well..." Matt lied, hoping it would end the conversation. "I've only met him a few times."

"Oh well. Well, you take care kiddo." the man said, and waved goodbye to Matt as he walked towards Pallet Town, and then disappeared over a hill. Once the man was out of sight, Matt turned around and started heading towards Viridian once more.

He walked for a few hours more, and then decided that it was time to take a rest. The sun was getting lower in the sky, but he still had a few hours left before it became dark. When he sat down with his back against a tree, his stomach began to rumble. "Oh, I forgot to eat before I left." he said to himself, opening his pack and pulling out half a cheese sandwich.

After he had finished the first half of the sandwich, he pulled out the second half. He went to take a bite out of it, but stopped when he heard a faint noise. "Raah... raahh..."

"Wh-who's there?" Matt asked the air. The noise was high pitched, and yet raspy. Matt climbed to his feet, and began looking all around for the cause of the sound, being cautious not to be seen. What he found was not what he expected.

"Koraaa!" the small, purple, rat-like Pokemon cried as Matt approached it. Behind a bush alongside the path, an injured Rattata was trying to hide itself.

"Hold on there little guy, I'm not going to hurt you." Matt said to the Normal Pokemon. He looked down and saw a deep gash on the side of its leg. "Wow, that doesn't look good." he said, and took out the Potion the Poke Mart man had given him. He sprayed it on the Rattata's wound, which made the Pokemon look somewhat relieved of its pain. "That looks better." Matt said with a smile. He then set the other half of the sandwich beside the Rattata and stood back up. "I wonder what the PokeDex has to say about you?"

"_Rattata, the Rat Pokemon. It bites anything when it attacks. Small and very quick, it its a common sight in many places._" the PokeDex stated in its synthesized voice.

"Well then, I'll leave you to get better Rattata." Matt said, and gently stroked the Pokemon's tail, and then walked away.

Matt looked ahead of him, and saw the faint glow of green over the horizon. Viridian City was just ahead.


	4. A Kayne in the Neck

OUTSIDE OF PALLET TOWN

Chapter Four: A Kayne in the Neck

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Matt's Party: Bulbasaur

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

The sun was setting just over the horizon of Viridian when Matt stepped into town. The orange light reflected off the buildings, giving off an emerald hue. "Well,... I'm here." Matt said. "I should probably head to the Pokemon Center and call Mom." he said to himself, and walked further into the town, searching for the Pokemon hospital.

"Hello there and welcome to the Viridian City Pokemon Center. What can I do for you?" a pretty, young nurse with long, violet hair asked Matt when he stepped up to the counter.

"Can... you heal my B-Bulbasaur?" Matt asked her, blushing and looking to the floor.

Of course I can. That's my job here." she said, and Matt handed her his PokeBall. "It will take at least an hour, so you can wait over in the waiting room."

"M-may I use the phone?" he asked her.

"Why of course. It's right over there." the nurse said, pointing to a row of video phones. Matt walked over to them, and those the booth at the very end, near the wall.

He picked up the phone and dialed in his home phone number. After a few rings, his mother's face appeared on the screen. "Oh Matt, you've made it to Viridian City!" she cried. "I'm so proud of you!" his mother said, making Matt blush. Being praised just for making it to Viridian City embarrassed him. It didn't feel like that big of a deal. "Are you okay? Did you get your Pokemon from Professor Oak? How are you sweetie? Did you enjoy the walk there?" she was flooding him with so many questions that he couldn't find an opening to answer.

"Mom! I'm fine!" he said finally, raising his voice a little. He looked around quickly to make sure no one was looking at him before continuing. "Professor Oak gave me a Bulbasaur, and its really cool."

"A Bulbasaur? Why that's a great Pokemon Matt!" his mother exclaimed.

"Well, I just called to tell you that I got here." he said. "I had better get going."

"Okay then baby, I mean, my little Pokemon trainer, I'll talk to you later. Remember, that you can call me anytime. Bye sweetie." she said.

"By Mom." Matt said, hanging up and the image of his mother vanished from the screen. "Now what should I do?" he asked himself. He had an entire hour left until the nurse finished checking up on Bulbasaur, making sure it was at perfect health. "I guess now would be the best time to go check out the Poke Mart." Matt said and left the Pokemon Center.

Viridian wasn't a huge city like Saffron or Goldenrod, but it was much bigger than Pallet, and Matt had no idea which way he should go to start looking for the PokeMart. He thought about asking someone for directions, but he wasn't sure how to go about it. He noticed a man standing around the side of the Pokemon Center, flipping two PokeBalls in the air, juggling them both in one hand. Matt approached him slowly, and then cleared his throat to get his attention. "Can I help you?" the man asked.

"Umm,... y-yes. Do you know which way I should t-take to get to the PokeMart?" Matt asked. "I'm a l-little lost."

"Sure I know where it is." the man said, and continued to juggle the PokeBalls. Matt waited several seconds for the man to say something, but he never did.

"Would you mind t-telling me?" Matt asked.

"No... I don't suppose I would mind." the man said, and once again Matt waited. He wasn't sure what to do then. He didn't know how to ask him any other way, so he turned around and started walking away. "I'll tell you where it is if you can tell me something." the man said at last. Matt turned around and walked back to him.

"Oh... kay..." Matt said.

"In the forest just North of town, there are two species of caterpillar Pokemon, Caterpie and Weedle. If you can tell me what makes them so different, I'll tell you which road to take." the man said.

Of course Matt knew the difference between the two. It was one of the first lessons he had learned back in school. The thing was, the question was so easy, he was afraid it was a trick question. He decided to give it a shot and answer anyways. "Caterpie is a pure Bug Type, while Weedle is half Poison Type." Matt answered with little confidence.

"Thanks kid, that's good to know." the man said. "Now, as for the Poke Mart, just head down this road here, and then North. All you gotta do is look for the building with the blue roof."

"Wait,... you mean y-you didn't know the d-difference?" Matt asked the man.

"Well, I didn't before, but I do know. I'm not really from around these parts, and when I found out about the bug Pokemon living up in that forest, I wanted to learn a little more about them. Anyways, thanks again kid. Maybe I'll be seein' ya." he said, and walked away.

Matt walked off in the direction that the man had said, and nearly twenty-five minutes later, he found a small building on the side of the road with a blue roof. He assumed that it was the building the man was talking about, and stepped inside.

When he walked up to the counter, the clerk was on the telephone. Matt approached him and waited for him to finish the conversation. "Okay then Professor, we are glad to have received your order. We'll talk to you next week then." the clerk said and placed the phone back on the wall. "Hi there. What can I do for you youngin'?"

"I would l-like to buy some PokeBalls pl-please." Matt said.

"Okay then." the clerk said. He bent down and brought up a box from underneath the counter and then placed it on the counter to display to Matt. "They are ¥200 a piece, how many would you like?"

Matt thought for a second. He had enough money to buy fifteen, but wasn't sure if he really needed that many, and if he should buy a few other items as well. "I'll take five,... and a few Potions as well..." he said. "I should probably buy a few Antidotes as well."

"Okay, how many of those?" the man asked, and pulled up a box of Antidotes and Potions.

Matt looked at the price tag on the items, seeing that the Antidotes were only ¥100 and the Potions were ¥300. "F-five Antidotes,... and th-three Potions." Matt said.

"Okay then, anything else?" the clerk asked, and Matt shook his head. "That will be ¥2,400, please." he said and Matt handed him the money, which left him with only ¥600.

"Th-thank you sir." Matt said, placing the items in his pack.

"Thank you youngin'" the clerk said, and Matt left the store. He figured that by the time he arrived back at the Pokemon Center, the nurse would be finished evaluating Bulbasaur. When he stepped outside, he felt as if he was being watched. He turned and looked through the window of the Poke Mart, but the clerk had started a new phone conversation, and was looking the other way. He ignored the feeling, and returned to the Pokemon Center.

Welcome back! Your Bulbasaur is in perfect health!" the nurse cheerfully said as Matt returned to the counter inside the Pokemon Center. 

"Th-thank you ma'am." he said, placing Bulbasaur's PokeBall on his belt.

"You're very welcome young man. Come on by anytime you need us." she said with an excessive grin.

Matt left the Pokemon Center, this time with his Pokemon, ready to go find the nearest Pokemon Gym. Once again, he felt the strange feeling of being watched. He looked all around him, but there was no one in sight. "C-come on out!" Matt said, trying to sound tough. "I-I'm w-warning you! I h-have a P-Pokemon!"

When nothing stepped out, Matt decided that he was imagining things, and he started walking. He had not taken but ten steps when he came to a halt. This time, he felt something new. It was not just being watched that he felt, but the feeling that he was being followed. He quickly turned around to see what was following him, hoping that it really was just his imagination. He was relieved when he saw who it was that had been following him. "Aww, you followed me all the way here?" Matt asked the small, violet mouse-like Pokemon.

"Ratta!" the Pokemon replied. Rattata looked quite happy that the boy was paying attention to it.

"Are you here to thank me for the food?" he asked it, and the Rattata nodded yes. "Well, you are very welcome Rattata." Matt said, and then realized something. "R-Rattata,... you wouldn't... want to come with me on my journey, would you?" he asked the Normal Pokemon.

"Ra rattata!" the Pokemon squealed, nodding its head yes once again.

"Hey! That's great!" he shouted, and took out one of his new empty PokeBalls. "Okay then Rattata, go ahead and get in!" he said, but the Rattata shook its head. "You don't want to get in? But... I thought you said you wanted to..." Matt said, and then realized what the Pokemon wanted. "You want to battle me first?" he asked.

"Rattata!" the Normal Pokemon said, and lowered its head as if it was preparing to attack.

"Okay then Rattata! Get ready!" Matt said, and pulled a PokeBall from his belt. "Go Bulbasaur!" he shouted, and Bulbasaur appeared from the PokeBall in a flash of light. Bulbasaur sat calmly in front of its trainer, waiting for a command. "Bulbasaur, use tackle!" Matt commanded, and Bulbasaur obeyed, leaping into the Rattata.

"Raaaaah!" Rattata cried, using its Growl attack, reducing Bulbasaur's attack power.

"Use Tackle again!" Matt cried, and Bulbasaur slammed its body into the mouse-like Pokemon once more. The Tackle seemed to do much more damage than the first, and Rattata struggled to get back to its feet. "It looks like this is the time to try!" he said, and enlarged the empty PokeBall. "Go PokeBall!" Matt cried and tossed the PokeBall at Rattata.

"Raaaah..." the Pokemon groaned as the PokeBall struck it on the head. The PokeBall opened up on contact, and turned the Rat Pokemon into a red energy, pulling it up inside. With the Rattata inside, the ball began to roll back and forth, as the Pokemon tried to escape.

"Come on, come on!" Matt cheered the device on as it attempted to capture Rattata. Finally, the ball made a clicking noise, signaling that Rattata has been successfully captured, and the ball flew back up into Matt's hand. "I... did it. I caught a Pokemon... Yes! I did it! I caught Rattata!" he shouted into the sky and began to jump into the air. He bend down and picked up Bulbasaur, giving it a hug. "Thanks a lot Bulbasaur! You were great!"

"Saur!" the Poison and Grass Type replied.

"My first day as a trainer, and I've already got two Pokemon!" Matt said, and returned Bulbasaur to its PokeBall.

"So, you caught a Pokemon then, hmm Matthew?" a familiar voice asked him from behind.

Matt turned around and faced the boy. "K-K-K-Kayne!" he exclaimed.

"Okay then, since it seems that you have at least two Pokemon by now, unless of course you managed to lose that Bulbasaur on the way here, I challenge you to a two-on-two Pokemon battle." Kayne said.

"B-but we j-just battled..." Matt said.

"Yeah, but that was just one Pokemon each. Now that we each have two Pokemon, I feel that it would be more fun." Kayne said, twirling one of his PokeBalls on his left index finger.

"St-still, you remember how I battled back at your gr-grandfather's lab. I'm no good." Matt said.

"Look Matthew, I came to this stupid city looking for a battle. I wanted it to be with the Gym Leader, but the loser skipped town. Probably because he heard Professor Oak's grandson was comin' for him. Since I can't pummel him, I'm gonna battle you!" Kayne said, giving Matt a menacing grin.

"K-Kayne, I c-couldn't battle you anyways. I j-just caught this Rattata, and its w-w-w-wounded." Matt stammered. For some reason, Kayne always made him stutter more than anyone else, except for this one girl back in Pallet.

"Dammit Matt! Can't you just battle me?" Kayne shouted in a fury.

"B-but m-m-my Rattata..." Matt said quietly.

"Just shut the hell up and send it out of its PokeBall!" Kayne said and Matt did as he was told. When Rattata appeared from its pocket, Kayne bend town and sprayed it with his own Potion. "There, its all better. Now let's battle!"

Matt had no choice. He couldn't think of any other excuse not to battle Kayne. "F-fine... w-we can have a b-ba-battle."


	5. Mad Mankey

Outside of Pallet Town

Chapter Five: Mad Mankey

"Great, let's get started then!" Kayne said and took out one of his PokeBalls. "Go Mankey!" he shouted and threw the ball. When the PokeBall opened, it released a blinding white light, and from that light, appeared a small, round, furry Pokemon with arms, legs, and a tail.

"M-Mankey huh..." Matt said and pulled out his PokeDex. He opened it up and aimed the camera at the Fighting Pokemon.

"Mankey, the Pig Monkey Pokemon. Extremely quick to anger. It could be docile at one moment, and then thrashing away in the next instant." the device said in a computerized voice. Matt put the PokeDex back into the bag and pulled a PokeBall from his belt.

He looked down at the chosen PokeBall, thinking about what he should do. When he battled Rattata, he did pretty well, but when he battled Kayne, he failed in his every attempt. "G-go B-Bulbasaur!" Matt shouted, tossing his PokeBall into the air. Bulbasaur appeared in front of its trainer in a flash of light.

"Bulbasaur..." the Grass and Poison Pokemon said calmly, looking around, and then focusing on Mankey.

"Let's get this started then! Mankey, use Scratch!" Kayne commanded and the Fighting Pokemon jumped at Bulbasaur, slashing at its face.

"Saaaur!" Bulbasaur cried out.

"Bul-Bulbasaur, use... Tackle." Matt said, and Bulbasaur jumped at Mankey, slamming into it and knocking it over. "I-it hit!" he cried, overjoyed that he had actually caused some damage to Kayne's Pokemon.

"So you got one this time, so what? Mankey, use Leer!" Kayne commanded and Mankey glared at Bulbasaur fiercely, lowering Matt's Pokemon's defensive power.

"Bullll" Bulbasaur cried in fear from the Leer.

"Bulbasaur, use Growl!" Matt shouted in a new found confidence.

"Brrralbaarrr!" the toad-like Pokemon cried, lowering the Mankey's defensive power.

"Scratch!" Kayne commanded and Mankey scratched Bulbasaur again, this time doing less damage.

"Use Tackle!" Matt shouted, and Bulbasaur tackled Mankey, knocking it back much further than before. "A cr-critical hit!" he shouted with a big grin on his face.

"Damn, Mankey, use Low Kick!" Kayne shouted.

"Mah mah mankey!" Mankey cried out as it charged at Bulbasaur. The Fighting Type swung its leg underneath Bulbasur, causing it to lose balance and fall on its face. "Mah kay mankey!" Mankey laughed as Bulbasaur tried to pull itself to its feet.

"Come on Bulbasaur. Get up!" Matt called, cheering his Pokemon on. "Great, now use Tackle again!" he commanded after Bulbasaur managed to stand back on its feet.

"Dodge it Mankey, and use Scratch!" Kayne commanded. When Bulbasaur was just about to collide with Mankey, the monkey-like Pokemon jumped up into the air, and then slashed at Bulbasaur's seed.

"Bulbasaur!" Matt's Pokemon cried out in pain.

"Bulb-Bulbasaur!" Matt screamed as his Pokemon fainted from loss of its HP. "Bulbasaur... return." he said sadly.

"Ha ha, I've gotta hand it to ya Matt. That Bulbasaur did a lot better than it did this mornin' at Grampa's lab. Still, it was nothin' compared to Mankey, or my Charmander." Kayne gloated.

Matthew swallowed hard, trying to choke back the tears. He had forgotten about Charmander. Even if Rattata managed to defeat Mankey, it would still have to deal with Kayne's Fire Pokemon. He pulled his next PokeBall from his belt and enlarged it. "G-go Rattata!" he cried, tossing the ball into the air. Matt's newly captured Pokemon appeared in front of him in a flash of light.

"Too bad you caught a Rattata instead of something useful, like a Pidgey or a Spearow." Kayne laughed. "A normal type like Rattata isn't gonna do shit against my Mankey's Low Kick!"

Matt gritted his teeth as the tears started streaming down his face. "Rattata! Use Tackle!" he screamed and Rattata charged at Mankey at an incredible speed. When the Tackle struck Mankey, it was thrown back into its master's chest. Mankey fainted, and Kayne called it back into its PokeBall. "I-I did it. We d-did it Rattata!" he shouted.

"It's not over yet Matthew." Kayne said and tossed his second PokeBall into the air. Charmander appeared in a flash of light.

Matt pulled the PokeDex out again and opened it to Charmander. "Charmander, the Lizard Pokemon. Obviously prefers dry places. When it rains, steam is said to spout from the flame at the end of its tail." the device said.

"Rattata, use Tackle!" Matt commanded, his confidence reinstated from his victory against Mankey.

"Charmander, dodge!" Kayne shouted and Charmander leanded to the left, dodging Rattata's Tackle attack. "Now use Ember!" he commanded and the Fire Type sent a shower of flames at Rattata.

"Rattata, use Growl!" Matt called.

"Koraaa!" Rattata growled, lowering Charmander's attack Power.

"Charmander, use Ember again!" Kayne shouted.

"Dodge it and use Tackle Rattata!" Matt commanded. Rattata jumped over the spray of sparks and then charged at Charmander, slamming into it at full force.

"Chaaa!" the Charmander cried.

"Charmander, use Scratch!" Kayne screamed.

"Dodge it Rattata, and use Tackle!" Matt commanded, but this time Rattata wasn't able to dodge the attack. When Rattata jumped in the air to avoid Charmander, the Fire Pokemon reached up and scratched it across the belly-area.

"Raaaaah!" Rattata moaned just before it fell over, fainting from the loss of its Hit Points.

"R-Rattata?" Matt said in astonishment. Everything had been going so well, and yet he still lost. "R-return R-Rattata." he said and put Rattata back into its PokeBall. "Y-you did great."

"Ha ha ha!" Kayne laughed heartily. "That's twice in one day Matthew. Why did I even waste my time with you? If it hadn't been for that pussy-assed Gym Leader being gone I wouldn't have just settled for creaming you. Oh well, it can't be helped. You did do better though... I guess."

"Th-thank you Kayne." Matt said, whiping away the tears from his eyes.

"Don't thank me, I was only stating the facts." Kayne snapped. "Anyway... I guess I'll be heading to Pewter City. There's supposed to be a Gym there, and from what I've heard about this guy is that he wont run from a battle. I'll be seein' ya then Matt." he said and left Matt in front of the Pokemon Center.

Even with Kayne saying that he had improved, Matt still felt hopeless. The confidence that he had gained during the battle had vanished. Matt ran back inside the Pokemon Center, and then up to the counter. "H-hello ma'am." he said.

"Well you came back awful soon. Did you forget something?" the nurse asked him.

"N-no, I n-need you to heal my P-Pokemon. I... just lost a battle..." he said, blushing from his shame.

"Losing a battle is nothing to be ashamed of." the nurse said, taking Matt's PokeBalls. "Everyone has their losses and their wins. That's what makes competition so interesting. If one was to win all the time, they would lose interest and become bored."

"Y-yeah... I guess." Matt said, not entirely believing her.

"I'll tell you what. These Pokemon are in really bad shape and are going to be needing over night treatment. Its getting late, so why don't you just spend the night here?" the nurse asked and Matt agreed.

Matt left early the next morning, his Pokemon fully healed, and started heading North, towards Pewter City. First of all he needed to get through the Viridian Forest, a natural maze of trees and bushes that took up most of Route 2. There were supposed to be quite a few Poison and Bug Pokemon in the forest, so Matt was glad he had purchased Antidotes at the Poke Mart when he did.

He stared walking up the first part of Route 2, looking all around him, somewhat for Pokemon, but mainly for trainers who might want to battle him. He reached a high rocky ledge that was covered on both sides by tall grass. Matt did not really want to walk through the grass due to wild Pokemon that might live there, but the ledge was too high and smooth to climb. The only thing he could was walk through the grass.

He started walking through the grass, pushing the thick, individual blades of grass out of his way."Beedle bee!" a sharp cry pierced Matt's ear. Matt jumped back, falling down on his rear in the process, and saw what had made the noise. A small, light-brown worm-like Pokemon with a white horn on its head and tail-end.

"A Weedle!" Matt exclaimed, pulling out his PokeDex.

"Weedle, the Hairy Bug Pokemon. Often found in forests eating leaves. It has a sharp, venomous stinger on the top of its head and the tip of its tail." the PokeDex stated.

"Okay then..." Matt said, standing back on his feet. "I... guess I'll battle you." he said, pulling a PokeBall from his belt. "Go Bulbasaur!" he cried and Bulbasaur appeared in front of him, ready to fight Weedle. "Bulbasaur, use Tackle!"

"Saur!" Bulbasaur said and slammed its head into Weedle, knocking the Bug and Poison Pokemon back several feet.

"Beedle!" Weedle cried and threw itself at Bulbasaur, jabbing the Pokemon's skin with its stinger in a Poison Sting attack. Since Bulbasaur was a Poison Type Pokemon, the attack did very little.

"Bulbasaur, use Tackle again!" Matt commanded and Bulbasaur tackled Weedle once more. The Weedle flew back, farther than before, and collapsed on the ground. Matt pulled a fresh PokeBall from his pack and enlarged it. "Go PokeBall!" he cried, tossing it at Weedle.

The PokeBall struck Weedle in the center of its segmented body, and sucked it inside. For several seconds the ball rolled around on the ground, until it finally clicked. "Bulbasaur!" Matt's Pokemon cheered.

"Yes, we did it. I caught Weedle!" Matt cheered along with his Pokemon.

READER'S RESPONSE

Matt is about to enter the natural maze that is the Viridian Forest. He WILL capture a new Pokemon in the forest, but I am unsure which one I want him to capture. Which Pokemon do you think he should catch. Please only suggest Pokemon that actually appear in the area.


	6. Peekaboo With a Pikachu

Outside of Pallet Town

Chapter Six: Playing Peek-a-boo with a Pikachu

The road ended at a small, shack-looking building. In the shack's window was a sign that read "Entrance to Viridian Forest", so Matt opened the screen door and stepped inside. The shack, which was basically just a room, was, for the most part, bare except for single desk set up in a corner. An older woman with graying black hair.

"Hello young man. Are you thinking about traveling through the forest?" the woman asked an a frail voice.

"Yes ma'am, I am." Matt said. He didn't stutter around older people, they didn't scare him.

"Well your the tenth young man today." she said.

"Tenth?" Matt asked her. "You mean, other boys, around my age?"

"Oh yes, right around your age. Most of them were Bug Pocket Monster fanatics, but there was one that was different from them." the old woman said. Matt knew instantly that she meant Kayne. "Yes, right here on the list. Kayne Oak went into the forest at 6:24pm last night." the woman said, looking at a page in her book. "I haven't heard anything from Karrie on the other side of the forest, so I don't think he's made it through yet. Hope he didn't get lost. Viridian Forest is a natural maze you know."

"Yes... I know." Matt said, looking to the ground. Kayne had a huge lead over him, and he wasn't sure he could ever catch up. The fact that at least five people go missing inside of the forest every year didn't help his confidence.

"If you are going to enter the forest, I need you to sign your name in this book. This way my Pewter-side counterpart Karrie and I can keep track of the trainers that go enter, just in case they don't come out." she said, holding out the book and a blue pen. Matt signed his name and swallowed hard, what the woman had said had scared him even more. "You're all set then. Go ahead." she said and pointed to an old, rusty screen door that was hanging off of one hinge.

Matt stepped into the Viridian Forest and immediately felt a cool breeze. He looked around at all the beautiful foliage. A flock of Pidgey flew over his head, and he jumped out of the way to avoid being "Pidgey Bombed", as his younger brother liked to put it.

"Excuse me, you wouldn't happen to have a Paralyz Heal, would you?" a voice asked Matthew after he was tapped on the shoulder. Matt slowly turned around to face the boy. The boy was wearing blue jean shorts, an old, stained white tennis shirt with a blue stripe across his stomach, and a backwards ball cap.

"N-no I don't. S-sorry." Matt said, slowly backing away.

"Shoot! I guess that means I have to run back to the Viridian Pokemon Center." the boy said. "Hey kid, watch yourself in there. Not only are there a bunch of trainers with Poison Pokemon in there, but I found a wild Pokemon that paralyzed my poor Butterfree." he said and ran out of the forest. Matt swallowed hard again.

Despite the fact that it was morning, and the sun was already up, the forest was very dark in some spots. The canopy of the forest was blocking out most of the sunlight, and causing great shadows across the forest floor. Matt could hear strange noises coming from these shadows, so he hurried his pace through the forest.

"Hey you!" another voice called out to Matt, this time much louder and more aggressive. "I'm lookin' for a battle, and you're gonna be the one to battle me!" Matt turned around to face his challenger. The challenger was a boy, around Matt's age, who wore a white tank top, black shorts, an oversized straw hat, and carried a large net.

"A-a b-b-battle?" Matt asked.

"That's right, a battle. A one-on-one battle where the loser shells out ¥300. The name's Rick, soon to be known as the greatest Bug Master that Nipponji has ever seen." the boy said, shouting his declaration into the tree tops. "In order to become a Bug Master, I need to battle. That's why you have to battle me."

"Oh... o-okay." Matt said. "M-my name's M-Matthew."

"Umm... I didn't ask for your name. Now let's battle." Rick said, pulling a PokeBall from his belt. "Go Caterpie!" he shouted, tossing the ball into the air. The PokeBall opened, flooding Matthew's vision with a blinding white light. When the flash had subsided, a small, green, worm-like Pokemon with an orange antenna on its head was sitting in front of Rick. Matt pulled out the PokeDex and aimed the camera at the Bug Pokemon.

"Caterpie, the Worm Pokemon. Its short feet are tipped with suction pads that enable it to tirelessly climb slopes and walls." the PokeDex said in a simulated male voice.

"A Ca-Caterpie?" Matt said and started thinking about which Pokemon he should use. Bulbasaur and Rattata had both been in a battle, Bulbasaur more than one, but his new Weedle hadn't yet. He thought that a Weedle and a Caterpie would be a good match up in his favor, due to Weedle's ability to poison its opponent. "G-go Weedle!" Matt called, sending his newest Pokemon into the battle, and beginning his first battle with someone besides Kayne. It was a good thing he had used a Potion on it shortly after capturing it.

"Okay, go Caterpie, use Tackle!" Rick shouted and Caterpie jumped forward, crashing into Weedle.

"W-Weedle, use Poison Sting!" Matt commanded, causing Weedle to jab its stinger into Caterpie's body.

"Caterpie, use Tackle again!" Rick commanded.

"Dodge it Weedle, and use Poison Sting!" Matt said, starting to get into the battle. When Caterpie charged at it, Weedle dodged it to the side at the last moment and then stuck it with its stinger as it passed by.

"String Shot!" Rick called and Caterpie released a thread of white silk from its mouth that enveloped Weedle.

"Beeee!" the dual Bug and Poison Pokemon cried.

"W-W-Weedle!" Matt cried. "Poison Sting!" he commanded.

Weedle charged at Rick's Caterpie with its head down, pointing its stinger at it. "Dodge it Caterpie, and use tackle!" Rick commanded, and Caterpie dodged the attack and then slammed its head into Weedle.

"H-how did it d-dodge? Weedle was to close for it to dodge." Matt asked.

"String Shot reduces a Pokemon's speed. Even though Weedle was close to Caterpie, it just wasn't fast enough." Rick explained. "Use Tackle!"

"Dodge it and use Poison Sting!" Matt commanded, but Weedle was unable to dodge the attack, and Caterpie slammed into it. "B-but..."

"It works the other way around too. Weedle is now so slow that it can't dodge any of Caterpie's attacks." Rick explained further. "Caterpie, use Tackle!"

"S-String Shot!" Matt commanded.

"Wh-what?" Rick asked and his Caterpie was covered in Weedle's silk thread, just like Weedle had been.

"Doesn't feel so good, does it?" Matt asked, feeling confident using his opponents tactics against him. "Weedle, use Poison Sting!" he commanded, and Weedle dived at Caterpie, injecting it with its Poison.

"Ca-Caterpie!" Rick cried, realizing that his Pokemon was poisoned. "Fine then, use String Shot!" he commanded and Weedle was wrapped in silk once more.

"String Shot!" Matt commanded.

"String Shot!" Rick called.

"String Shot!"

"String Shot!"

"String Shot!" Matt called. "This is just going back and forth. I don't think our Pokemon can get much slower." he said. "Weedle, use Poison Sting!"

"Dodge it!" Rick called, but the attack landed. "I guess your right, the battle won't end if all we do is slow each other down. Caterpie, use Tackle!" he commanded, but before Caterpie could land the attack, it fell to the ground, completely out of energy. "Caterpie!" he screamed. "I... lost... Return Caterpie..." Rick said, putting his Pokemon back into its PokeBall. "I guess the poison got to it..." Rick said sadly.

"I... won." Matt said, looking down at his Weedle. "I won a battle... against a trainer."

"That was a good battle... Matt was it?" Rick said, holding out his hand.

"Y-yes... Matt..." Matt said and shook Rick's hand.

"Well, here's the ¥300 I owe ya." he said, handing Matt the money. "I guess I had better head back to Viridian and get to the Pokemon Center. Oh and Matt, I would be careful if I was you. Trainers have been runnin' all over the forest today looking for a wild Pikachu. Each time some trainer tries to catch it, it ends up paralyzing there Pokemon. I've got no interest in an Electric Pokemon,... well I'll see ya." Rick said and left Matt standing there.

"A... Pikachu?" Matt said, and then a light started to shine from the ground. He looked down and saw that his Weedle had begun glowing. "W-Weedle?" The Pokemon began to glow so brightly that Matt had to look away. When he looked back at his Pokemon, Weedle had vanished, and another Pokemon had taken its place. "W-Weedle,... you... evolved. Weedle you evolved!"Matt shouted, cheering for his Pokemon. He took out the PokeDex and aimed it at the Pokemon.

"Kakuna, the Cocoon Pokemon. The evolved form of Weedle. Able to only move slightly, it may stick out its stinger and poison its enemy." the PokeDex said.

"This is so cool." Matt said. "Well, you'd better go back into your PokeBall. You deserve a rest after that battle. Kakuna return." he said and Kakuna was returned to its pocket.

Matt continued his way through Viridian Forest, trying not to get himself lost. There had been a map of the forest hanging up in Professor Oak's lab when he was younger, and he used to sit and stare at it when ever he would come over to play with the professor's Pokemon, so he knew the way fairly well. "Pikachu... maybe I should catch it." Matt said to himself, ignoring the Bug Catcher's warning.

"Pod pod!" Matt heard a voice coming from up above him.

He looked up thinking that the Pikachu could have climbed up the tree, but was disappointed to only find a group of Metapod. "Metapod, the Cocoon Pokemon. The evolved form of Caterpie. This Pokemon is vulnerable to attack while its shell is soft, exposing its weak, tender body." the PokeDex stated.

"Shoot, I thought it might have been that Pikachu..." Matt said and continued walking.

For almost a hour Matt continued walking through the forest, and did not stop until he heard another sound. "Che che." Matt looked around, but did not see anything. "Pikachu!" the Pokemon screeched when it jumped from the bushes and then in front of Matt.

"Pi-Pikachu!" Matt exclaimed, pulling a PokeBall from his belt. "Go Bulbasaur!" he shouted, tossing the ball into the air. Bulbasaur appeared in a flash of light.

"Piii kaaa chuu!" the Pokemon said and sent a bolt of electricity at Bulbasaur.

"A ThunderShock?" Matt asked. "That must be what's been paralyzing all those Pokemon." he said. He was glad he had chosen Bulbasaur, which was strong against Electric attacks. "Bulbasaur, use Tackle!" Matt commanded and Bulbasaur crashed into Pikachu. Pikachu flew backwards, landing on the ground in front of a tree. "PokeBall, go!" Matt shouted, tossing a PokeBall at the Electric Type.

"Chu!" the Pokemon squealed when it was struck by the ball. Pikachu was turned into a red energy and pulled into the ball. For several seconds the ball rolled back and forth as Pikachu tried to escape. Matt crossed his fingers. "Pikachu!" the Pokemon cried as the PokeBall busted open. "Pii kaa kaa kaa" the Pokemon laughed.

"Shoot, it didn't work. Bulbasaur, use Leech Seed!" Matt commanded. The bulb on Bulbasaur's back began to swell, and once it had almost doubled in size, it shot three seeds at Pikachu. When the seeds made contact with the Electric Pokemon's body, they immediately grew into green vines, covering its body.

"Chuu!" the Pokemon cried and sent another ThunderShock at Bulbasaur. After it had dealt its attack, the vines started glowing red and leeched away some of Pikachu's HP, and then sent it to Bulbasaur.

"Bulbasaur, use Tackle!" Matt commanded and Bulbasaur slammed into Pikachu again, this time doing much more damage. "PokeBall, go!" Matt shouted, tossing another empty ball at Pikachu. This time when Pikachu was pulled into the ball it did not have the energy to escape and the ball clicked. "I... just caught Pikachu!" he shouted, jumping up and down. The PokeBall flew up into its new master's hand and Matt tossed it up, sending the recently captured Pokemon back out. "Let's see what the PokeBall has to say."

"Pikachu, the Mouse Pokemon. When several of these Pokemon gather, their electricity could build and cause lightning storms." the device said.

"Well Pikachu, welcome to our team." Matt said.


	7. Hey, Where

Outside of Pallet Town

Chapter Seven: Hey, Where's My Badge?

It took Matt three entire days to navigate his way through the Viridian Forest. When he finally reached the the exit, he collapsed on the floor of the check-in station, exhausted. "Hello there young man, congratulations on making it through the forest." the woman behind the desk said, who, if Matt remembered correctly, was named Karrie. "Please tell me your name so I can check you off the list." she said and Matt told her. "Okay then, it only took you three days. That's pretty good for someone as young as you. Most kids get lost at your age, and we have to send a search party in after them."

"Did... a boy... named... Kayne come through... here?" Matt asked the woman, still catching his breath.

"Let me see..." the woman said, looking trough her book. "Oh yes, Kayne Oak. He passed through here yesterday. He was another fast one." she said, smiling.

"D-darn it..." Matt said. "Do you know... how far the nearest Pokemon... Center is from here?" he asked Karrie.

"Oh yes, its only a few miles up the road in Pewter City. It shouldn't take you long, only a couple hours." Karrie said. "Wouldn't you rather rest up here before heading up there though?" she asked.

"No... I really need to get there soon." he told the old woman, thinking about Kayne. He had always been afraid of Kayne, but lately, the only thing he could think about was beating him. All he wanted to do was get ahead of him.

"Well okay then. Be careful on your way to Pewter City." the woman called to him on his way out the door.

Matt walked the rest of Route 2 as quickly as he could, reaching the limits of Pewter City in almost exactly two hours. "The stone gray city of ancient times." Matt said, reading the sign. "I'm... finally here." he said and sprinted to the Pokemon Center with the last bit of energy he had.

"Welcome to the Pewter City Pokemon Cen-" an attractive blonde nurse started to say when Matt ran up to here. She stopped when Matt slumped over the counter. "Are... you okay?" she asked.

"Y-yes... c-can you h-heal... my Pokemon?" he asked her, putting his four PokeBalls on the counter.

"Sure, that's my job." the nurse said, taking them from the counter and placing them on a tray. "You look like you need a rest. Why don't you take one of our beds and lay down for a spell." she suggested and Matt took her up on it.

When he awoke, nearly four hours later, his PokeBalls were sitting on the end table beside the bed. He placed them in his belt loops and left the Pokemon Center, thanking the nurse on his way out. "Now to the Gym." Matt said.

The Pewter City Gym was a towering, stone gray building that resembled a mountain. Matt walked into the Gym, which put him in a dark room. "H-hello?" he asked the darkness.

Instantly the lights clicked on, and Matt saw a boy in a green camping uniform standing at the other side of the Gym. "Who are you and why have you entered my Gym?" the boy asked. Matt looked around the Gym quickly before he answered. The Gym had a sandy, desert like arena with a few rocks set up randomly through it. It resembled a traditional rock garden, but with stadium markings.

"M-my name is Matthew. I'm f-from Pallet T-Town, and I've c-come for a bat-battle." he said.

"A battle? You want to battle me, the great Gym Leader of Pewter City?" the Gym Leader asked and started laughing. "Just by the look of you I know you're a rookie. Why should I waste my time with such a greenhorn? Fine, I will battle you, but only for my amusement!" he said and threw his PokeBall into the air. "Go PokeBall!"

The PokeBall opened in mid-air, and a white light flooded the room. Matt pulled out the PokeDex and aimed the camera at the Pokemon. "Sandshrew, the Mouse Pokemon. Burrows deep underground in arid places away from water. It emerges only to hunt for food." the PokeDex stated and Matt put it away.

"I am Jerry, the Gym Leader of Pewter and a Master of the Ground Type. This will be a one-on-one battle, no substitutions. The prize will be ¥500. Now, which Pokemon do you choose, Matthew of Pallet?" Jerry asked.

Sandshrew was a Ground Pokemon, and Matt knew that Ground Types were weak against Grass Pokemon like Bulbasaur, but were strong against Poison Types, which Bulbasaur was also part of. Still, it was his best bet. "G-go, Bulbasaur!" he shouted, tossing his PokeBall into the arena. Bulbasaur appeared in a flash of light, opposite to Sandshrew on the field.

"Sandshrew, use Scratch!" Jerry commanded and Sandshrew leaped at Bulbasaur.

"Bulbasaur, dodge it and use Tackle!" Matt commanded and Bulbasaur dodged to the left and then slammed into Sandshrew. "Th-that was easy!" Matt exclaimed.

"No, that was just a fluke!" the Gym Leader exclaimed. "Sandshrew, use Scratch again!" he screamed and Sandshrew flew at Bulbasaur again.

"Dodge it Bulbasaur, and use Tackle again!" Matt shouted and Bulbasaur dodged the attack to the right this time, and then executed another perfect Tackle attack.

"Darn it! Sandshrew, use Sand Attack!" Jerry hollered and Sandshrew started digging in the sand, throwing sand backwards through its legs, directed at Bulbasaur.

"Dodge it Bulbasaur, and use Tackle again!" Matt commanded, this time Bulbasaur dodged the attack by jumping over it, and then executed its third perfect hit. Sandshrew landed hard in the sand.

"Sandshrew!" the Gym Leader screamed as his Pokemon fainted. "Return Sandshrew." he said.

"I... beat him? I... beat a Gym Leader?" Matt asked himself, unsure of what had happened.

"Yes... you beat me, the Gym Leader." Jerry said and started walking to a door near the rear of the room.

"W-wait,... where is my Badge?" Matt asked him.

"What Badge?" Jerry asked.

"I... defeated you. Since you're a G-Gym Leader, you're su-supposed to give me a Pokemon League B-Badge." Matt said.

"Why the hell would I give you a Badge?" Jerry asked with a violent tone in his voice.

"Be-because I b-beat you..." Matt said.

"So, I'm the Gym Leader, I can do whatever I want!" Jerry shouted.

"No you're not Jerry." a voice said, coming from behind Matt. Matt turned and saw a fairly muscular man wearing an orange vest and a a safari hat walk into the Gym.

"E-Edwin! Wh-what are you doing here?" Jerry asked the man.

"I came here to check up on Brock's Pokemon. What I didn't come here to do is watch you pretend to be a Gym Leader, and ultimately lose. Brock would be ashamed of you." the man said.

"Wh-what's going on?" Matt asked the man.

"I'm not really the Gym Leader..." Jerry sighed.

"The real Leader isn't here right now. He's at the museum, and won't be back for a few hours. If you want to battle him, you should probably head there and have a word with him." Edwin said. "But before you go... Jerry, do you have something for this young man?"

"Umm, no? I can't give him a Badge." Jerry said.

"No, the money. He beat you, and you need to pay him what ever you set the bet to." Edwin said.

"Fine..." Jerry said and handed Matt the ¥500. "You... were good. Really good. I've been training that Sandshrew for almost a month now, and you still beat me."

Matt left the Pewter Gym with a smile on his face. Since Bulbasaur did not take any damage during the battle, Matt decided to go straight to the museum and find the real Gym Leader.


	8. Moon Stones and Stone Serpents

Outside of Pallet Town

Chapter Eight: Moon Stones and Stone Serpents

Matthew walked into the museum and up to the front desk where a dark brown haired man with round glasses was sitting. "Hello and welcome to the Pewter City Museum of Science." the man said. "The entrance fee is ¥50." he said and Matt handed him the money. "Great, I hope you enjoy your visit to our museum."

Matt had been to the Pewter City Museum of Science many times as a small child. His mother would bring him there at least once a year and he would always marvel at the ancient Pokemon fossils and all of the space exploration equipment. He especially loved the Moon Stone exhibit. Every time he would come to the museum he would ask his mother to tell him the legend of the Moon Stone.

"Tell us more Brock, tell us more!" a voice called. Matt looked over to his left to see a group of small children hanging off of a teenage boy who looked no older than 14. "Come on Brock, tell us the whole thing!" a little girl cried. The older boy was tall, with tanned skin, spiked brown hair,

"Alright, alright." the boy said. This was when Matt noticed where they were standing, right next to the Moon Stone's display case. "Many many years ago, before the invention of the PokeBall, and even before the Pokemon League, there was a celebration going on at the top of Mt. Moon. Back then it wasn't called Mt. Moon, but instead Mt. Gold." Brock explained.

Matt leaned up against the wall, listening to his favorite story. "During the celebration in Mt. Moon Square, a meteor supposedly crashed into the mountain, creating a huge crater, which punched through into a massive cavern. People soon discovered that this cavern was part of a tunnel system that spanned all the way from Pewter City to Cerulean. With this discovery, excavators tunneled further into the mountain and created the tunnel route to Cerulean City that we know today. However, they discovered something else, an new Pokemon that no one had ever seen before. Clefairy." Brock said and the little children gasped. "According to legend, the excavators found the Clefairy dancing around the very meteor that had crashed into the mountain during the celebration. And-" Brock was cut short when someone else finished his story.

"And that brought about the conclusion that Clefairy came from outer space." Matt said, without stuttering at all, despite all of the people near him.

"Y-yes. Due to the fact that the Clefairy had not been seen before the Moon Stone hit, people speculated that Clefairy were actually extraterrestrials." Brock said walking over to Matt. "Did you also know that if a Clefairy comes in contact with a Moon Stone it will evolve?" he asked.

"Y-yes I do sir." Matt said. Brock motioned for the children to run along.

He looked down at Matt's belt and smiled. "You're a trainer, aren't you?" Brock asked, but did not give Matt a chance to answer. "That must mean you want to battle me. Okay, meet me at the Gym in fifteen minutes. By the look of you you're still a level zero trainer, so you'll have to register for the Indigo League." he said.

"L-level zero?" Matt asked.

"It's a term the Pokemon Leagues use to categorize trainers. Since you don't have any Badges, you're a Level Zero. You gain a level each time you earn a Badge. You also earn a level if you defeat the Elite Four and another if you become Champion. The highest level possible is Ten." Brock explained. "The levels are manly used for determining which Pokemon a Gym Leader is allowed to use in a battle. Since you are Level Zero, I can only use Pokemon that are in that range." he said. "Now if you want a battle, come with me." Brock said and walked out of the museum.

Matt ran after Brock, following him all the way back to the Gym. "Okay then, just register over there." he said pointing to an older woman behind a desk. "I'll be waiting for you inside the in the arena." he said and walked away. Matt walked up to the lady behind the desk to register, but saw something on the wall behind her.

It was a plaque displaying the names of all the trainers who had defeated Brock in a Gym battle. At the very bottom of the list was the name Kayne Oak. "K-Kayne!" Mat exclaimed.

"Oh yes, the last challenger." the woman said. "That boy was full-o-spunk. He beat Brock on his first try, despite how strong even Brock's lowest level Pokemon are."

After he had registered, Matt walked into the arena, which was now filled with a crowd of spectators. "Welcome everyone to the Pewter City Gym." a man in the center of the arena said. He was wearing the blue and purple uniform of an official Indigo League referee. "This official Indigo battle will be between the Pewter Gym Leader Brock, and Matthew Crimson from Pallet Town. This is Crimson's first appearance in a Gym, so we can only guess how he will fare!"

"Are you ready trainer?" Brock asked Matt from across the arena floor.

"Yes." Matt said, thinking about Kayne.

"Okay then. Go Geodude!" Brock called out, tossing a blue PokeBall with red markings into the air. The GreatBall opened up and a flash of azure light filled the room. In the middle of Brock's half of the arena sat a Pokemon that looked very much like a boulder with arms.

"Geodude, the Rock Pokemon. Found in fields and on mountains. Mistaking them for boulders, people often step on them. This results in the Pokemon becoming angry." the PokeDex said in its computerized voice.

"In this battle, the Gym Leader may use only two Pokemon, the challenger can use the six allowed in a party. Only the challenger may make substitutions. The monetary bet is set at ¥1000, and the reward for the challenger will be Pewter City's prized Boulder Badge!" the referee said, getting the crowd riled up. Matt's stomach began to turn as he looked around at all the people. He could feel them staring at him. "Now Crimson, which Pokemon will you choose to start with?"

Matt tried to forget about the surrounding crowd so he could focus on his battle. He knew that Geodude was a Rock and Ground Type Pokemon, both were weak to Grass Types, but he didn't want to use his best chance up first. Pikachu would be the worst choice, since its Electric Type attacks would have no effect. "Go Kakuna!" he yelled, sending out his first Pokemon.

"The first round will be between Crimson's Kakuna, and Brock's Geodude. Let the battle begin!" the referee shouted, waving his violet flag.

"K-Kakuna, use Poison Sting!" Matt commanded and Kakuna shot a poison needle from its rear. The needle struck Geodude, but did minor damage.

"Geodude, use Rock Throw!" Brock commanded and Geodude began hurling rocks at Matthew's Pokemon.

"Har-Harden Kakuna!" Matt shouted and Kakuna's body began to glow yellow as it hardened its shell. The technique boosted Kakuna's defensive strength, weakening the super effective Rock Throw. "Now use Poison Sting!" he called and Kakuna shot another venomous needle at Geodude.

"Use Tackle!" Brock commanded and Geodude slammed into Kakuna.

"St-String Sh-Shot Kakuna!" Matt commanded and Kakuna spit a long thread of sticky silk from its mouth area, covering the Geodude in a speed reducing cocoon.

"Tackle again Geodude!" Brock shouted.

"Harden!" Matt called and Geodude slammed into the hardened Kakuna, who's defense had grown again. "Now Poison Sting!"

"Geodude, use Rock Throw!" Brock commanded and Geodude threw a hand full of rocks at Kakuna, landing a critical hit.

"Kakuna, use Poison Sting!" Matt called, this time when the needle struck Geodude, it poisoned the Rock Pokemon.

"Poisoning isn't going to stop me, Geodude, use Rock Throw again!" Brock shouted and Kakuna was pelted with another shower of rocks.

Kakuna toppled over, it had fainted from loss of Hit Points.

"Kakuna is unable to battle, Geodude is the winner!" the referee called

"K-Kakuna return." Matt said, calling his Pokemon back into its PokeBall. "You did really great out there." he said and placed it back in its belt loop. "Go Rattata!" he shouted, sending out his second Pokemon.

"The second round will be between Crimson's Rattata and Brock's Geodude. Continue the battle!" the referee said, waving the flag.

"Geodude, use Rock Throw!" Brock commanded and Geodude tossed several stones at Rattata.

"Rattata dodge it, and use Tackle!" Matt called and Rattata ducked, just being missed by the Rock Throw. It then leaped at Geodude, slamming into the Pokemon's rock hard body.

"Use your Tackle Geodude!" Brock commanded and Geodude slammed its body into Rattata.

"Rattata, use Quick Attack!" Matt shouted. Rattata ran at Geodude at an extremely fast speed, almost as fast as lightning, and hit Geodude from the side.

"Jeeeow... dude..." the Rock Pokemon moaned as it fainted.

"Geodude is no longer able to battle, Rattata is the winner." the referee dictated.

"The poisoning must have got to it. Geodude, come back." Brock said, returning Geodude to its PokeBall. "Let's go Onix!" he shouted, tossing another GreatBall into the air. The great Rock Pokemon appeared in a flash of blue light.

"Onix, the Rock Snake Pokemon. As it tunnels, the stone portions of its body harden and become similar to diamond, but colored black." the PokeDex explained.

"An O-O-Onix?" Matt said, a lump formed in his throat. The Onix was the largest creature had had ever seen, it looked almost thirty feet long.

"Onix, use Tackle!" Brock commanded.

"Dodge it Rattata!" Matt shouted, but Rattata wasn't fast enough, and the giant Pokemon rammed its head into Rattata.

"Raaaah!" Rattata cried.

"Now, use Screech!" Brock called.

"Iwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak!" Onix let out a long, ear piercing screech that harshly lowered Rattata's defensive power.

"Rattata, use Quick Attack!" Matt called and Rattata slammed into Onix at a high speed. The attack did very little due to Rock Type Pokemon being resistant to Normal moves and Onix's high defense.

"Onix, use Rock Throw!" Brock shouted and Onix tossed several stones at Rattata by scooping it up with its tail.

"Use Quick Attack again!" Matt commanded, but once again the attack did virtually nothing.

"Bind!" Brock called and Onix grabbed Rattata with its tail and started squeezing it.

"Korrr raaaaaaa!" Rattata wailed from the pain of being crushed. The Normal Type Pokemon fainted, and went limp in Onix's Bind.

"Rattata is unable to battle, Onix is the winner." the referee said.

Onix let the Pokemon drop to the floor and Matt called it back into its PokeBall. "Thank you Rattata. Thank you for your hard work." he said and put the ball back on his belt. Now all he had left was Bulbasaur and Pikachu. He knew that Pikachu couldn't inflict any damage to Onix, so he had only one choice. "Bulbasaur go!" Matt shouted, sending out his third, and hopefully last Pokemon.

"This round will be fought between Matthew Crimson's Bulbasaur and Brock's Onix. Begin!" the referee said, waving the flag for a third time.

"Bulbasaur use Leech Seed!" Matt commanded immediately. He wanted to plant the seed fast, knowing that he would need the extra HP later in the battle.

"Use Tackle Onix!" Brock called and Onix dove at Bulbasaur, slamming into it.

"Vine Whip Bulbasaur!" Matt shouted, calling out Bulbasaur's new move.

"Waaaarkkkkk!" Onix moaned. The Grass attack was super effective against the Rock and Ground Pokemon, and extremely painful.

"Onix, use Bind!" Brock commanded, and Onix grabbed Bulbasaur and began to constrict it with its rocky body.

"Vine Whip again!" Matt commanded, and Bulbasaur struck Onix with its vines, causing the Pokemon to release it from its grip.

"Onix, use Bide!" Brock commanded.

Matt had never heard of any technique by the name of Bide so he waited for a few seconds before reacting. When Onix did not do anything, Matt assumed that the attack failed, and he decided to attack. "Vine Whip!" he commanded.

"Just hold on Onix, just a little longer!" Brock called to his Pokemon.

"Come on, one more Vine Whip!" Matt commanded and Onix was hit with another powerful Grass Type attack.

"Release the energy!" Brock called. A ball of white energy began to form near the fin on Onix's head. Once the ball had become big enough, Onix hurled it at Bulbasaur.

"Saaaar!" Bulbasaur cried. The dual Grass and Poison Pokemon fainted.

"Bulbasaur is no longer able to battle, Onix is the winner." the referee called.

"B-Bulb... asaur..." Matt said in disbelief. "Return..." he said, calling his Pokemon back. All he had left was Pikachu, and the only offensive attack it could use was ThunderShock, which was useless against Onix. Matt looked up at the gigantic Rock Pokemon while pulling Pikachu's PokeBall from his belt. "Wait, that's it! Go Pikachu!" he shouted, sending Pikachu into the battle.

"Onix, let's finish this quickly. Use Rock Throw!" Brock commanded.

"Pikachu, dodge it!" Matt called. He knew it wasn't much longer. Bulbasaur's Vine Whips had done serious damage to Onix.

"What do you plan on doing, just running around the arena?" Brock asked?

"That's exactly what I plan on doing. Pikachu, run around in circles!" Matt commanded.

"Whaaa? Whatever, Onix, just use Tackle!" Brock commanded, but the attack missed. "Tackle!" he shouted, but the attack missed again. "Come on, Tackle it Onix!" he shouted, becoming frustrated, but the attack missed once again.

"Iwaaa!" Onix moaned as it fainted, the vines from Bulbasaur's Leech Seed still hanging on to it.

"Onix is not able to battle, Pikachu is the winner. The victory goes to Matthew Crimson of Pallet Town!" the referee called.

"My Onix, lost to a Pikachu..." Brock said. "A... Pikachu..." he said, and then began laughing. "That was an amazing battle. Never in my life have I seen an Onix lose to a Pikachu." he said and walked up to Matt. "As proof of your victory, I award you with Pewter City's Boulder Badge." Brock said, pinning the Badge on Matt's vest. "Also here is the ¥1000 I owe you for your victory. Also, I would like to present you with this TM. TM34 contains Bide, the move that I used on your Bulbasaur. It is a technique which allows your Pokemon to take damage, and then send it back with twice the power." Brock said, which explained how Bulbasaur lost to Matt. "You should also note that the Boulder Badge will allow you to obtain the Hidden Move Flash."

Matt and Brock then shook hands, and the crowd began to cheer. Matt had forgotten that the Gym was filled with spectators during the battle, and they frightened him, and he ran out of the Gym, and then to the Pokemon Center.

READER'S RESPONSE

I am looking for an OC for Matt to travel through the tunnels of Mt. Moon with in Chapter 10. Please give me a name, hometown (Kanto, Johto, or Sevii only), Pokemon, and a bit of a background. If you are reading this after Chapter 10 is posted, please do not post your OC.


	9. He Took the Bait

Outside of Pallet Town

Chapter Nine: He Took the Bait

"Thank you for waiting, you Pokemon have been healed to full health." the nurse said, handing Matthew back his PokeBalls.

"Th-thank you ma'am." Matt said, placing the balls on his belt.

"So here you are." a familiar voice said. Matt turned around to see Brock standing behind him. "You ran out of my Gym so fast I thought you were in trouble or something." he said.

"N-no, I'm j-just a little sh-shy..." he said, blushing.

"There's nothing wrong with being shy, but if you want to become a good trainer, you will have to get over it." Brock said.

"I kn-know." Matt said.

"You battled very well in there. My receptionist tells me that you know my previous challenger, Kayne. Is that right?" Brock asked.

"Y-yes, we grew up together." Matt said, looking to the ground.

"You grew up together, and you're both Pokemon trainers, starting off at the same time. That would make you rivals, now wouldn't it?" the Gym Leader asked.

"I don't know if y-you would call us r-rivals. He's b-better than me... He's always been better than me." Matt said.

"Now, I wouldn't say he's much better than you. When I battled him, he had to use all six of his Pokemon to defeat me. Even at the end of the battle, Onix left his Mankey with almost no HP. He won solely by Type advantage, which takes very little skill in most cases. As for you, you used a handful of techniques. You poisoned my Geodude, allowing it to be beaten by a Normal Type Pokemon using normal moves, and you used the HP draining Leech Seed on Onix which allowed it to be beaten by an Electric Type. That took me by surprise, and surprise is one of the most useful strategies a trainer can have. You shouldn't sell yourself short kid." he said, making Matt smile.

"Thank you Brock." Matt said.

"So... now that you've beaten me, what are you're plans?" he asked.

"I... don't know just yet. Where is the nearest Gym?" Matt asked.

"Well, the closest Gym would be in Ivory Town up in the mountains, but I wouldn't suggest that for a rookie like you. The terrain is much too dangerous. I would suggest heading through Mt. Moon and go to Cerulean. There's a pretty good Gym there, and if I remember right, Kayne said that's where he was heading." Brock said.

"Cerulean City? Th-then that's where I'm going!" Matt said.

"And I thought you weren't rivals." Brock asked. "Oh I forgot, which Pokemon did you end up teaching Bide to then?" he asked.

"I haven't taught it to anyone yet... I don't know how it works..." Matt said.

"Oh its easy. All you do is put it in the Technical Machine and place it over your Pokemon." Brock said.

"Technical Machine? I... don't have one..." Matt said.

"Okay, then I'll give you one." Brock said, pulling a small, red cube from his back pack. "I'll show you how to use it too. Just send the Pokemon you want to learn the move out." he said.

Matt thought about it briefly, then pushed the button on the PokeBall, letting the Pokemon inside out. "Koraaa." Rattata said upon its entrance.

"Okay Rattata, hold still for a second." Brock said, holding the red cube over Rattata's head. "Now go ahead and insert the TM34 into the machine." he said and Matt slid the disk into its slot. "Here we go!" Brock said and pushed a button on the side of the cube. A ball of white light came from the bottom of the cube and was absorbed into Rattata's head. Rattata's eyes glowed with the same white light. "Rattata now knows the move Bide. You can use it in battle at any time." Brock said once Rattata's eyes stopped glowing. "Do note though that not all TMs work on all Pokemon. Bide is one of the few moves that almost every Pokemon can learn. I had better get going. I hope I'll be hearing a lot about you!" he said and left the Pokemon Center.

"Cerulean City... If I'm going to Mt. Moon, I had better stock up on PokeBalls." Matt said and walked to the Poke Mart. There he purchased five PokeBalls and put them in his pack, and this left him with ¥1350. "Now on to Route 3." he said and left the Poke Mart.

Route 3 was much rockier than Route 1 and Route 2. The hard ground made Matt's feet hurt after he had walked for a few hours. He thought he should take a break, so he sent his Pokemon out of their PokeBalls and laid back against a rock. "Alright everyone, have some fun, run around for a while. I'm gonna take a nap."

Matt quickly fell asleep against the stone and his Pokemon, with the exception of Kakuna, ran around and played. They played tag for awhile until Bulbasaur became annoyed with always being "it". Rattata and Pikachu were too fast for the Grass Pokemon to catch, even with its vines. "Bulbasaur!" the Pokemon said and went to lie down with its master.

"Peekaaaahaha chuu!" Pikachu laughed at Bulbasaur.

"Rah rah!" Rattata called to Pikachu, reminding it that the game was still going, and since Bulbasaur had quit the game, that made Pikachu "it".

"Pikapi!" Pikachu said with a chuckle, meaning that it was not "it" and Rattata was.

"Kow ra!" Rattata squeaked boldly. Kakuna remained silent through the whole ordeal.

"Well look at this. Your Pokemon don't look like their getting along." a voice said to the half-asleep Matthew.

"Huh?" Matt said while sitting up. He rubbed his eyes and then looked up at who was talking. "Gah! N-no, I th-think they w-were j-j-just playing a ga-game!" he said, trying the back up as far away from the girl as he could. Of course he was up against a rock, and couldn't back up much further.

"My name is Sally." the young girl said, holding out her arm to help Matt up.

"M-my name is M-M-Matthew." he said, reluctantly letting her pull him up.

"It's nice to meet you Matthew." she said, grinning. Sally was a young, pretty girl with long, curly brown hair with a blue bow tied in it. She wore a tight, white, short sleeved shirt and a blue miniskirt. "So, would you like to have a battle with me?" Sally asked.

"A ba-ba-battle? Matt asked. By now his face was as red as his vest.

"Sure, you've go Pokemon right?" she asked, looking down at all of Matt's Pokemon.

"Y-yeah... I do." Matt said. "I just beat Brock, so that must mean I'm not all that bad, especially if Kayne had trouble beating him. Maybe a battle with this girl won't be so bad." he thought to himself. "Okay, I'll battle you."

"Great! Let's make it a one-on-one battle with a prize of ¥200." she said.

"Okay!" Matt said. "Rattata, get in there!" he said and Rattata ran up in front of him, ready to battle.

"Go Nidoran!" Sally said, tossing her PokeBall into the air. A small, light blue, rabbit-like Pokemon appeared in front of her.

"Nidoran, the Poison Pin Pokemon. Although small, its venomous barbs render this Pokemon dangerous. The female has smaller horns." Matt's PokeDex stated.

"Wow, that thing is cool!" the girl said.

"Th-thanks." Matt said.

"Alright then, Nidoran, use Scratch!" Sally commanded and Nidoran jumped at Rattata, slashing at it with its front claws.

"Rattata, use Tackle!" Matt commanded. Rattata jumped at Nidoran, slamming into the Pokemon. "Now use Quick Attack!" Matt called and Rattata executed the lightning fast attack.

"Nidoran, use Poison Sting!" Sally commanded and Nidoran jabbed her horn into Rattata's body.

"Rattata, use Tackle!" Matt called.

"Raaa!" Rattata cried, jumping at Nidoran. Instead of using Tackle, however, Rattata clamped its sharp teeth down hard on Nidoran's body.

"Niiiiiidowww!" Nidoran cried.

"Th-that wasn't T-Tackle! That was Hyper Fang!" Matt exclaimed.

"Nidoran, use Scratch!" Sally called and Nidoran jumped at Rattata.

"Dodge it Rattata, and use Hyper Fang!" Matt commanded, and Rattata ducked down to avoid Nidoran's attack. The purple mouse-like Pokemon snapped at Nidoran again with its sharp fangs.

"Use Poison Sting!" Sally called to Nidoran and the Poison Pin Pokemon jabbed its horn at Rattata.

"Use Bide!" Matt called and Rattata froze in place.

"Now's our chance Nidoran, use Double Kick!" she commanded and Nidoran kicked its hind feet back at Rattata, twice.

"Reeeehhh." Rattata moaned, unable to do anything.

"Hang in there Rattata!" Matt called to it.

"And one more Double Kick!" Sally commanded, and Nidoran kicked Rattata in the same way it had before.

"Koooraaa!" Rattata cried as it fainted.

"Wh-what? But I was using Bide!" Matt said. "Rattata return." he said, calling it back to its PokeBall.

"You know, you shouldn't always depend on Bide. It's a good move and all, but it takes time to charge up, and requires your Pokemon to take damage. Maybe if you had used it near the beginning of the battle you'd be okay, but Rattata had already been weakened by the time you used it." Sally said. "Good job Nidoran." she said, pulling her Pokemon back into her PokeBall. Matt handed her the ¥200 he owed her for losing.

"Now I've gotta run all the way back to Pewter City..." Matt said under his breath, putting the rest of his Pokemon back in their PokeBalls.

"What for?" Sally asked, somehow hearing him.

"T-to ta-take them to th-the P-Pokemon Cen-Center." he said, blushing and looking to the ground.

"Oh you don't need to go all the way back to Pewter City. There's a Pokemon Center up at the end of Route 3, right by the Entrance to Mt. Moon's main tunnel." Sally said. "Well, thank you for the battle. It was a great warm up for my battle with the Pewter City Gym Leader." she said and walked up the path in the direction of Pewter.

"Th-thank you." Matt said and ran off in the other direction.

After about an hour Matt came to a Pokemon Center that was built into the rock wall of Mt. Moon. At first he didn't even recognize it as a building, the only thing that gave it away was the PokeBall emblem on the top. "C-could you please heal my Rattata?" Matt asked the nurse."

"I'd be happy too." the nurse said. "Just go ahead and make yourself at home while you wait." she said.

"I'd better call Mom while I'm waitng." he said to himself and sat down behind a video phone. "Hi Mom." Matt said when his mother's image appeared on the screen.

"Hello darling. How are you. Have you been catching lots of Pokemon?" his mother asked.

"Yes, I've already caught three more. Now I have Bulbasaur, Rattata, Kakuna, and Pikachu!" Matt said. "And look at this Mom!" he said, showing his mother his new, sparkling, Boulder Badge.

"Oh my, tha-that's a real Indigo Badge! You have a Badge! That's wonderful sweetheart. I didn't thing you would be this far by now, but I always knew you had it in you!" she said.

"Thanks Mom." Matt said, blushing from her praise. "Well, I'd better get going. I've got a lot of training to do before the next Gym." he said. His mother's praise had replenished his confidence after his loss against that girl.

"Okay baby, call me soon." she said and her image vanished from the screen.

"Pssst. Hey kid." a whisper called to Matt. "Hey kid." the whisper called again. Matt looked to his left and saw a man in a light brown trench coat standing beside him. He tried to look at his face, but it was hidden in a shadow from his hat. "How would you like a new Pokemon?" the man asked.

"I-I'd love a n-new Pokemon." Matt said.

"Then have I got a deal for you. For only ¥500, I'll sell you a super powerful Pokemon. The finest Pokemon of the sea. A Magikarp!" the man said, flashing a PokeBall at Matt.

"Really, you'd s-sell it to me f-for only ¥500?" Matt asked, pulling the money from his pocket.

"That's right kid." the man said, and Matt handed him the money. "Here ya go." he said, handing Matt the PokeBall. "Oh, and not returns!" the man said and ran out of the Pokemon Center.

"Th-that was weird." Matt said and enlarged the PokeBall. "Go Magikarp!" he said, letting his new Pokemon out and a reddish-orange fish-like Pokemon appeared and began flailing around on the floor. "Cool, let's see what the PokeDex has to say about it."

"Magikarp, the Fish Pokemon. In the distant past it was somewhat stronger than the horribly weak descendents that exist today." the PokeDex stated.

"Hor-horribly we-weak... I think I just got ripped off." Matt said, returning the Pokemon to its PokeBall.

READER'S RESPONSE

I am still looking for an OC for chapter 10 as I have only received a few so far.

This is how I would want the trainer to be set up.

Name:

Gender: Male or Female

Hometown: Johto, Kanto, or Sevii only

Pokemon: Gen 1 only, but can be almost anything except for legendary, pseudo-legendary, or starter. It can even be an evolved Pokemon, actually I would prefer an evolved Pokemon. Only one Pokemon please.

Trainer's age: Preferably over the age of 15

Background of trainer:


	10. Lighting the Fuse on the Rocket

Outside of Pallet Town

Chapter Ten: Lighting the Fuse on the Rocket

Matt stood outside of the mountain, peering into the tunnel with five PokeBalls on his belt. The tunnel was better lit than he had thought, and that made it a lot less scary for him. "Okay, here we go." he said and entered the cave. The tunnels entrance was, at first, low and narrow, but soon he entered a large cave room with a high ceiling and walls that seemed to go on for miles.

He walked aimlessly through the tunnel for hours and, unlike the Viridian Forest, he had no idea of where to go. A colony of Zubat flew over his head, letting out their high pitched squeals, and Matt took the PokeDex out to check their data. "Zubat, the Bat Pokemon. Forms colonies in perpetually dark places. They use ultrasonic waves to identify and approach targets." the PokeDex stated.

"That's pretty cool." Matt said and walked on.

"Very good, return." a voice said from up ahead. Matt strained to see who it was and saw two people, a blonde boy and a teenage girl with short cyan hair, just finishing a battle. Both of them were returning their Pokemon and it looked like the girl was the winner. "That was a good battle, and I know that with time you can be a great trainer." the girl said. The boy had already left by the time Matt reached where they had battled. He tried to walk past the girl without making eye contact so he would not have to battle. "Hey Kid!" the girl called to him.

"Y-yes?" Matt said, looking to the ground, still trying not to look up at her.

"What level trainer are you?" she asked.

"Le-level One." he said.

"Well that would be no fun battling you." she said to Matt's relief. "The name's Sheridan." the girl said, holding out her hand to Matt. He shook it, but still did not make eye contact. "You seem a little shy. Don't worry I won't bite." Sheridan said.

"M-my name's M-Matt." he said.

"Nice to meet you Matt. What brings a low level trainer like you to Mt. Moon?" Sheridan asked. "Wait, don't tell me. You're on your way to Cerulean City, aren't you?"

"Y-yes I a-am." Matt said.

"Then you've got your work cut out for you, not only getting through this mountain, but against the Gym Leader there as well." Sheridan said. "Hey, you know what. How about you hang with me. I'm on my way to Cerulean as well, and I could be here to protect you and what not." she said.

"Pro-protect m-me. From wh-what?" Matt asked, suddenly very frightened.

"I'm not really sure actually, but I've been hearing a bunch of rumors of thieves running around in here. Supposedly their after Moon Stones and Pokemon fossils, and they take any trainer's Pokemon that they defeat." she said, and Matt swallowed hard. "It'd probably be best if you stuck with me. I tried to tell that to a trainer that passed through here a couple days ago, but that kid was so stubborn..." she said.

"St-stubborn..." Matt said quietly. "W-was that kids n-name K-Kayne?" he asked her.

"I don't recall a name, but he had tall, spiked up hair and had a Charmander and Mankey." Sheridan said and Matt gritted his teeth. "Why, do you know him?"

"Unfortunately." Matt said.

"Huh? Well, anyway, let's get going." she said and the two trainers headed deep into the tunnels of Mt. Moon.

"It's a dead end." Matt said when the two came to a rock wall.

"Nope, its just the end of the horizontal route." Sheridan said, and then started climbing up the wall, and then onto another rock floor. "Here, give me your hand." she said, and Matt held his hands out. He could feel the warmth of her hands and it made him blush.

"Wow." Matt said, looking into the seemingly infinite tunnel.

"You don't get out much, do you?" Sheridan asked with a giggle.

"N-no, I've only b-been a trainer for a week now." Matt said. "Before that... I really never left town."

"Well that would suck. This world is full of amazing sights, just like this tunnel. As a trainer, I hope you'll experience all of them." Sheridan said.

"Hey little kid, I challenge you to a battle!" a booming voice called from behind them. Matt turned to see a large, dark skinned man climbing up over the rock wall.

"A ba-battle?" Matt asked, looking up at how tall the man was once he stood up.

"That's right. I wanna three-on-three match against you." the hiker said.

"B-but why would you want to battle m-me?" Matt asked him.

"I heard about how you beat Brock. Brock is my idol, and I want to see first hand how you beat him." he said. "The name is Marcos by the way. Do you accept my challenge?" he asked.

"Y-yes. Let's battle." Matt said, thinking about his next Gym battle. He knew that he needed as much training as he could get.

"Then I'll set the bet at ¥600, is that okay with you?" Marcos asked.

Matt looked in his pocket and saw that he only had ¥650 left. He really needed the money, but if he lost he would be down to practically nothing. "I accept." he said.

"Great. Then go Geodude!" the hiker said and sent out his first Pokemon.

"Geo!" the Rock Pokemon said.

"Go Bulbasaur!" Matt shouted, sending out his Pokemon.

"A Bulbasaur huh, that'll come in handy against her for sure." Sheridan said to herself.

"Geodude, use Mega Punch!" Marcos commanded, and Geodude swung a glowing fist at Bulbasaur, striking the Pokemon hard.

"Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip!" Matt commanded and Geodude was hit by a super effective Grass Type attack.

"Geoduuuuude!" the Pokemon cried.

"Geodude, use Rock Throw!" Marcos called and Geodude tossed a handful of rocks at Bulbasaur.

"Bulbasaur, dodge it and use Vine Whip!" Matt called to his Pokemon and Bulbasaur jumped to the right, just being missed by the Rock Throw. Then the Grass and Poison Pokemon struck Geodude again with its strong vines.

"Dude!" the Rock Pokemon moaned as it fainted.

"Geodude return." Marcos said, calling his Pokemon back. "Go Geodude!" he called, sending out yet another Geodude. "Geodude, use Tackle!" he shouted to his second Geodude.

"Dodge it Bulbasaur and use Vine Whip!" Matt called, and Bulbasaur did just as it had done before. The Geodude was hit critically by Bulbasaur's strong Grass Type attack.

"Tackle Geodude!" Marcos commanded and the Rock and Ground Pokemon slammed into Bulbasaur.

"Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip!" Matt commanded and the Geodude was hit with another powerful attack.

"The same attack again huh?" Sheridan said to herself.

"Let's hurry up and end this Geodude, use Self Destruct!" the hiker commanded and Geodude began to glow with a bright white light. The Rock Pokemon then exploded and sent a powerful wave of energy at Bulbasaur, doing major damage to Matt's Pokemon.

"Bulbasaur!" Matt called to his injured Pokemon.

"Geodude Return." Marcos said, pulling his second Geodude back into its PokeBall.

"Bullllbaaaa." Bulbasaur moaned. Its HP was dangerously low.

"Let's go Onix!" Marcos shouted, throwing his third PokeBall into the air.

"Iwaaaaaarkkk!" the massive Rock Snake Pokemon roared when it appeared.

"Onix, use Tackle!" Marcos commanded.

"Dodge it Bulbasaur, and use Leech Seed!" Matt called to his Pokemon. He knew he had to do something about his Pokemon's Hit Points, and soon.

"Bulba!" the Grass Pokemon said as it jumped back out of the way of Onix's attack and launched the Leech Seed onto the Pokemon's head.

"Onix, use Body Slam!" Marcos commanded and Onix threw its body at Bulbasaur, landing on top of the Grass and Poison Pokemon.

"Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip!" Matt commanded.

"Saaaur!" Bulbasaur said, incapable of using the attack.

"Wh-what's wrong Bulbasaur?" Matt asked his Pokemon.

"Bullll saur!" Bulbasaur cried.

"It looks like Onix's Body Slam paralyzed Bulbasaur." Marcos laughed. "Now Onix, finish it of with another Body Slam!" he shouted and Onix slammed down on Bulbasaur for a second time.

"Saaaaaurrr!" Bulbasaur cried. The second Body Slam was too much for Bulbasaur to take, and Matt's Pokemon fainted.

"Bulbasaur, come back." Matt said, returning his Pokemon to its PokeBall. "N-now what should I do?" he asked himself. "I know, go Kakuna!" he said, tossing his second Pokemon into the battle. Kakuna appeared in a flash of light. "Use Poison Sting!" he cried and Kakuna shot a toxic needle at Onix. The Poison Sting seemed to do its job right away, poisoning its target.

"Iwaaa!" Onix cried.

"Alright Onix, it's a Bug Type, so let's use Rock Throw!" Marcos shouted and Onix hurled a clump of loose rocks at Kakuna.

"Kakuna, use Harden!" Matt commanded of his Pokemon to raise its defense. "Now use Poison Sting again!" he called. The battle was working out perfectly in Matt's favor. The Leech Seed was stealing away Onix's Hit Points and giving them to Kakuna, while the poison was eating away at them too.

"Onix, use Tackle!" Marcos called and Onix slammed into Kakuna. The great Rock Pokemon seemed very tired by now.

"Finish it with Poison Sting!" Matt commanded and Onix was hit critically by the poison needle.

"Iwwarrkkkk!" Onix cried as its head crashed to the ground.

"Y-you beat me?" Marcos asked in disbelief. "N-no wonder you beat Brock. Your Pokemon are incredible." the hiker said and handed Matt the ¥600 he had earned. "That was a good battle. You definitely deserve the Boulder Badge." Marcos said and shook Matt's hand.

"Thank you." Matt said, smiling and blushing at the same time.

"Well, I'll be seein' ya kid." Marcos said and climbed back down the rock wall.

"He's right Matt. You were really good there. I can't wait to see how you fare in Cerulean City." Sheridan said.

"Y-you're going to watch my ma-match?" Matt asked.

"Why of course. I work for the Gym Leader." she said.

"R-really?" Matt asked and she answered with a smile. Matt looked down at the ground, blushing again. "Wait, look at Kakuna!" he said and they both looked down at Matt's glowing Pokemon. Kakuna was not only glowing with an intense white light, it seemed like it was changing shape as well. "Y-you're evolving!"

"Speee!" Matt's newly evolved Pokemon said.

"A Beedrill,! You're Kakuna evolved into a Beedrill Matt! Congratulations!" Sheridan said.

"Beedrill, the Poison Bee Pokemon. It flies at high speeds and attacks using its large, venomous stingers on its forelegs and tail." the PokeDex stated.

"Whoa!" Matt said, staring wide-eyed at his new Pokemon.

"Hey, what's that thing you have there?" Sheridan asked, looking at his PokeDex.

"Oh, this? This is just a PokeDex, an encyclopedia of Pokemon that Professor Oak gave me." he said.

"You know Professor Oak?" she asked in amazement.

"Yeah... He's the one who gave me my first Pokemon, Bulbasaur. That kid you met earlier, Kayne, is his grandson." Matt explained.

"Wow! That is so cool!" Sheridan said.

"Yeah... I guess." Matt said. "Return Beedrill." he said, putting his new Pokemon in its PokeBall.

They started to walk again, going up several more rock walls along the way. To Matt, it seemed like they had been walking for hours. "Hey you two, you shouldn't be stickin' your noses around where they don't belong!" a voice called to them.

"What are you talking about, this tunnel doesn't belong to anyone. According tho the Nipponji government, this tunnel is set up as a route from Pewter to Cerulean!" Sheridan said to the man, who was dressed in all black, except for the red letter "R" that was on his shirt.

"Well now this mountain and all its Pokemon belong to Team Rocket!" the man said. "And if you don't like it, take it up with them!" he said, tossing six PokeBalls into the air. All six of them opened to reveal powerful looking Sandshrew.

Matt grabbed a hold of his PokeBalls, ready to fight for himself when Sheridan placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, I've got this one. Go Gyarados!" she said, tossing her PokeBall.

"Gyaaaaraaa!" the great blue and white Pokemon screeched when it appeared.

"Gyarados, use Surf!" Sheridan commanded and Gyarados flooded the ground in front of it, causing a wave of water to slam into the Sandshrew. With that one attack, each of the Sandshrew fainted.

"D-dammit! How can some shitty kids like you defeat Team Rocket so easily?" the man asked.

"You don't know who this kid is! Gyarados, use Hyper Beam!" she commanded.

"Well... this is going to suck." the man in black said.

"Gyraaaaaa!" Gyarados shouted, releasing a powerful beam of energy from its mouth, slamming into the man and his Sandshrew. The force of the blast sent them flying into the tunnels wall.

"Now use Hydro Pump!" Sheridan called and the thug was hit by one of the most powerful blasts of water Matt had ever seen. The attack was so powerful, that it broke through the rock wall, and sent the man and his Pokemon flying through the air.

"I was right, this does suck!" the man called down to them. "I'm warning you, you've gone and messed with the wrong organization!"

"Th-th-th-that was am-amazing Sheridan." Matt said.

"Oh that? That was just a taste of Gyarados' power." she said smiling. "Hey Matt, look at this." Sheridan said, holding up a dome shaped rock. "It a fossil of some sort of ancient Pokemon."

"An ancient Pokemon?" Matt asked.

"Yeah, it was a Pokemon that went extinct millions of years ago." she said. "Would you want it? I've got no need for it." she asked, handing it to Matt.

Matt stared into the stone eyes of the long dead Pokemon, wondering what it was like back when it was alive. "H-hi..." he said to the fossil and put it in his pack.

"Well look here Matt. It looks like we've punch a hole straight through the mountain. I can see Cerulean City down there. I think I just made a shortcut." she said with a laugh.

"Yeah..." Matt said, thinking about his next Gym battle in Cerulean City, and about Kayne, who was probably already down their, possibly already with his second Badge.

TRIVIA BIT:

The OC Sheridan was created by Blaze-Lover

READER'S RESPONSE

Out of all the Pokemon that Matt has seen so far on his journey, which one is your favorite?


	11. A Case of the Jenny Blues

Outside of Pallet Town

Chapter Eleven: A Case of the Jenny Blues

"What's the matter?" Sheridan asked Matt after they climbed through the whole in the cave wall. Matt was looking saddened for some reason, even though they had just made it through the tunnel.

"I... I had h-hoped to see a Cl-Clefairy while I was in there." he said.

"They're afraid of humans and run when they see us. More than likely, there were Clefairy all around us in there, we just couldn't see them." Sheridan said. "Could you please send out your Bulbasaur?" she asked and Matt sent out his exhausted Pokemon.

"There you go Bulbasaur, does that feel better?" Sheridan asked Matt's Bulbasaur after giving it a Revive. "So you'll be headin' straight for the Cerulean Gym then I take it." she said.

"Th-thank you. Yeah,... that's what I was pl-planning on." Matt said.

"Before you do that, tell me, do you have any Water Pokemon?" she asked.

"One, a Magikarp." he said.

"Oh, well that's not good. I would suggest you catch at least one more Water Type. It's vital for your Gym battle." Sheridan said. "Here, take this old fishing rod. It's what I caught my Magikarp with, the one that evolved into my Gyarados." she said, pulling the collapsed rod from her bag.

"Why a W-Water Pokemon, does the Gym L-Leader use Fire Pokemon or something?" Matt asked her.

"I can't really tell you that. Just know that you can't depend on one type of Pokemon, nor a single attack like you did with that hiker. The Gym Leader in Cerulean is tough, really tough. And now that you're a Level One trainer, she can use even more powerful Pokemon against you." Sheridan said.

"Oh I know. I beat the last Gym using a Pokemon at a disadvantage to his Pokemon." Matt said proudly.

"What Pokemon did you use?" she asked.

"Pikachu..." he said.

"Pi... ka... chu...?" Sheridan said, trying to control herself. "So you beat Brock with a Pi... ka... chu..."

"Yeah. I know it's not normal that a Pikachu beat a Rock and Ground Type, but the Onix he had was still under the effects of Bulbasaur's Leech Seed when I sent Pikachu out." Matt said with a confident grin.

"Just like you did for Kakuna, before it evolved?" she asked.

"Yeah!" Matt said with an even larger grin.

"So you used the same strategy,... twice,... against the same species of Pokemon?" she asked.

"Yeah..." Matt said, a little less excited.

"You need to learn to think up new strategies, not for every species of Pokemon, but for every individual Pokemon in every battle." she said. "That's all I can really help you with Matt. I'll be on my way then, but I'd really recommend you try fishing in that pond over there." Sheridan said, pointing to a pond, and then walked down the hill towards Cerulean City.

"So, I need a Water Pokemon. I'd better get started'" Matt said to Bulbasaur and ran down to the pond. "Get ready Bulbasaur, if I catch a big one, I want you to use Vine Whip on it." he said, and straightened out the fishing rod. "Alright, go!" he shouted, casting the PokeBall shaped lure out into the pond.

"Well... this is boring." he said after five minutes. "How are you doing Bulbasaur?"

"Saaaa..." Bulbasaur sighed, and laid down flat on its belly.

"Yeah... I know. I'm not even sure there are Pokemon in this pond." Matt said, and at that moment, there was a tug on his line. "What? Here we go Bulbasaur!" he said, and pulled the line up with all his might.

"Karp karp karp magikarp!" the Fish Pokemon cried as it flopped on the ground in front of Matt and Bulbasaur.

"... a Magikarp..." he said, pulling the hook out of Magikarp's mouth and putting it back into the water. "Let's... just try again." Matt said, casting his line again.

"Bulba..." Bulbasaur sighed.

This time, the a Pokemon took the bait almost immediately. "Oh my, Bulbasaur, this feels like a big one, or at least something stronger than a Magikarp!" Matt cried and tugged on the line.

"Bulba saur!" Bulbasaur said and stood up, its vines up in the air ready to attack.

"Kuri kuri!" the Pokemon said as Matt pulled it up on land.

"Krabby, the River Crab Pokemon. Its pincers are not only powerful weapons, they are used for balance when walking sideways." the PokeDex stated.

"Alright a Krabby. Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip!" Matt commanded and Bulbasaur smacked the Water Type Pokemon with its powerful vines.

"Kurib!" the Pokemon cried, and grabbed a hold of one of Bulbasaur's vines with its strong claws.

"Saur!" Bulbasaur cried out in pain, and then slammed its other vine down hard on top of Krabby's head.

The Krabby fell over, releasing Bulbasaur's vine. "Right, here we go!" Matt said, enlarging one of his empty PokeBalls. "Let's go, PokeBall!" he shouted, hurling the PokeBall at Krabby. The ball struck the Pokemon, and then sucked it inside. For several seconds the PokeBall rolled on the ground at the edge of the pond, and then clicked to show that Krabby had given up. "Yes! We did it Bulbasaur!" Matt cheered, holding Bulbasaur's vines like they were hands and danced in a circle with his Pokemon. "Okay then, now that I've got another Water Pokemon, I shouldn't be able to lose. Or at least I think that's what Sheridan meant.

He returned Bulbasaur to its PokeBall and then ran down the hill to the sparkling blue city below. "I'll have your Pokemon restored in no time at all." the nurse said when Matt handed her the PokeBalls of Beedrill, Bulbasaur, and his new Krabby.

"Th-thank you ma'am." Matt said and walked over to the phones. He really did not feel like calling his mother since he really hadn't accomplished anything since defeating Brock. She always praised him for trivial things, and that embarrassed him. Now he thought that he would call Professor Oak.

"Well hello there Matt, how have things been going for you on your journey." the Pokemon Professor asked.

"F-fine Professor. I've already got a badge!" he said, flashing the Boulder Badge to him from the inside of his vest.

"Oh that's a fine Badge Matt. I hear that my grandson already has two, are you close to getting your second?" Oak asked and Matt's face turned white.

"K-Kayne already h-has two B-Badges?" Matt asked.

"Yes, I think he said that it was the Cerulean City Badge. He's also sent me thirteen Pokemon. I don't think I've gotten any from you yet Matt." Oak said.

"Th-that's because I just caught my sixth one today." Matt said, knowing that Kayne now had a full team of Pokemon, and some back with Professor Oak.

"Don't worry Matt, the amount of Pokemon you have doesn't make a great trainer. It is how you train the Pokemon, what moves you teach them, and how you bond with your Pokemon that matters. I've tried to teach this to Kayne many times, but he just never listens." the professor said. "By the way, where are you calling me from?"

"The Cerulean Pokemon Center." Matt said.

"Oh really. That must mean you're going to challenge the Gym Leader there too. Kayne told me that she was a real toughie. It took him three times to beat her." Professor Oak said. "I'll have to let you go Matt. I've got a lot of research to start on this Clefairy that Kayne sent me."

"Cle-Clefairy?" Matt asked.

"I'll talk to you latter Matt, bye-bye." the Professor said and the screen went blank.

"If it took Kayne three tries to beat this Gym Leader, how am I ever gonna beat her." Matt asked.

It was getting dark when Matt's Pokemon were finally healed. He ran out of the Pokemon Center as quickly as he could so he could challenge the Gym before it closed. "Matthew Wesley Crimson!" a familiar, girlish voice called to Matt and made him freeze. "I thought that was you." the girl said. Matt knew who it was, but he did not want to look. "What's the matter Matthew, it looks like you just got hit by an Articuno's Ice Beam." Jenny said, walking around to Matt's front.

Jenny Blue was a thin, pretty, and popular girl that went to Matt's school back in Pallet Town. She had shoulder length black hair, lightly tanned skin, and emerald green eyes. Matt had had a crush on her since the day she moved into the house next to his. He was more shy around Jenny than anyone else, most of the time he couldn't even breath. "H-h-h-hi Je-Je-Je-Jenny..." Matt stammered out.

"Come on Matthew, why don't you ever look at me?" the girl asked, trying to look into Matt's eyes. Matt wouldn't let her. He looked in every direction, trying to avoid contact with her sight, but made a mistake in one direction, and locked eyes with her. "There, that's better." Jenny said with a giggle. "After I heard that you and Kayne had left on a Pokemon Journey, I got real sad and lonely back in Pallet Town." she said with her lower lip jutting out. "So I asked my mom if I could go on my own journey and she let me. Professor Oak even gave me a Pokemon." she said, showing Matt her PokeBall.

"Th-th-that's n-nice Je-Je-Je-Jenny." Matt said.

"I know, and I've been doing pretty good. I've already got six Pokemon and a badge!" she said, lifting up her shirt partly and exposing the other five PokeBalls, as well as her stomach. "Here's my Boulder Badge from the Pewter City Gym!" Jenny said, almost shoving the badge in his face. Matt fell backwards into the dirt, almost fainting. "Oh my gosh, are you okay Matt?"

"N-n-n-no..." he said.

"Wh-what's the matter?" Jenny asked, trying to help him up. When she grabbed his hand he immediately pulled it away and then scooted back from her.

"I'm o-okay n-now. N-no n-need to t-touch me!" Matt said, now backing up against the Pokemon Center wall.

"Get down from there silly. You look like you've seen a Ghost Pokemon." Jenny said and attempted to pull Matt away from the wall.

Matt jumped away before she could touch him. "Wh-what d-d-do you wa-want Je-Je-Jenny?" he asked.

"Wh-why a battle with you of course. I've already battled Kayne, so I thought I'd have a battle with my other friend next." Jenny said.

"Y-you battled K-Kayne?" he asked, astounded, not only that she had battled Kayne, but that she had called him her friend.

"Yeah! He's a really good trainer already, and I had a hard time beating him." Jenny said and giggled. "I hope you're good too."

"Y-y-you beat him?" Matt asked.

"Yeah, why?" she asked. "Oh, so do you want to battle me six-on-six? I really hope you do!"

"N-n-not-" Matt started to say, but was interrupted.

"Great! Let's get started. "Go Caterpie!" Jenny shouted, sending out her first Pokemon.

Matt did not know what to do. He really did not want to battle Jenny, not only because he could not function properly around her, but because she had beaten Kayne, someone who was stronger than him, but then again the battle would help him get ready for his battle in the Gym. "G-go Bee-Beedrill!" Matt said, tossing his Pokemon into the battle.

"Spee!" his Beedrill cried.

"Oh how cute, a Beedrill!" Jenny cried and took out a blue device that looked very similar to a PokeDex. When the device gave the same description of Beedrill that his PokeDex had, he realized that that's what it was. "Okay Caterpie, use Tackle on that Beedrill!" she commanded.

"B-Beedrill dodge it!" Matt cried, trying not to think about who he was battling, and Beedrill hovered over to the left, being missed by the attack. "Now use Twineedle!" he commanded and Beedrill drove both of its long spears at Caterpie.

Jenny's Pokemon fainted after a single attack. "Oh poo! Caterpie return." she said, calling Caterpie back to its PokeBall. "Go Jigglypuff!" Jenny shouted, tossing her second PokeBall into the air. A round, pink Pokemon appeared from the ball.

"Jigglypuff, the Balloon Pokemon. When its huge eyes light up, it sings a mysteriously soothing melody that lulls its enemies to sleep." Matt's PokeDex said.

"Wow, Professor Oak gave you a PokeDex too? That's so awesome! Did he give Kayne a PokeDex too? O h I bet he did!" Jenny said.

"Y-yeah. Beedrill, use Poison Sting!" Matt commanded and Beedrill jabbed at Jigglypuff with its sharp tail stinger.

"Jiggly!" the Balloon Pokemon cried.

"Oh no Jigglypuff." Jenny cried. "Okay, use Pound!" she commanded after seeing that her Pokemon was alright.

"D-dodge Beedrill, th-then use Twineedle!" Matt commanded and Beedrill flew upwards, dodging the attack. The Bug and Poison Pokemon then stung Jigglypuff with its powerful stingers.

"Puff!" Jigglypuff cried.

"Jigglypuff, use Disable!" Jenny called out and Jigglypuff's eyes turned silver.

"Wh-what was th-that?" Matt asked and his Pokemon began to glow with the same silver light. "B-Beedrill, use Twineedle again!" he commanded, but Beedrill did not move.

"Great Jigglypuff, now use Pound!" Jenny called and Jigglypuff jumped up and then pounded Beedrill hard with its hand, sending Beedrill flying to the ground. "Disable is a move that disallows the previous move of the opponent. That means Beedrill won't be able to use Twineedle for a few turns." Jenny said with a grin.

"F-f-fine th-then. B-Beedrill, use P-Poison Sting!" Matt commanded and Beedrill flew up from the ground and then stung Jigglypuff with its tail stinger.

"Jigglypuff!" Jigglypuff cried.

"Use Pound again!" Jenny called and Jigglypuff knocked Beedrill to the ground again.

"P-Poison Sting!" Matt shouted and Jigglypuff was stung once more. This time Beedrill's venom took effect and Jigglypuff was poisoned.

"Oh no, Jigglypuff!" Jenny cried. "Use Sing!" she commanded.

"Jig illy paafff jigally iyiy pafff!" the Balloon Pokemon began to sing a soothing lullaby.

"Spee spee..." Beedrill said as it drifted off to sleep.

"Beedrill, wake up!" Matt called to his Pokemon.

"Now use Pound!" Jenny commanded and Jigglypuff pounded its hand down hard on Beedrill's back.

"Wake up Beedrill!" Matt called, but his Pokemon still would not wake up.

"Pound!" the girl called and Jigglypuff hit Beedrill once more, this time harder than the other times.

"Spee?" Beedrill said, waking up from its sleep.

"Yes!" Matt shouted. "Now use Poison Sting!" he commanded and Jigglypuff was stuck by Beedrill's toxic stinger.

"Jiggly!" Jigglypuff moaned as it fainted.

"Oh darn it!" Jenny said. "Come back Jigglypuff, you did great." she said, returning Jigglypuff to its PokeBall. "Now let's go Zubat!" she shouted, tossing her second PokeBall into the air. Zubat appeared in a flash of light, flapping its wings and looking ready for a fight.

"Beedrill, use Twineedle!" Matt commanded, hoping that the Disable had worn off. His hopes were dashed when the attack failed.

"Wing Attack Zubat!" Jenny commanded and Zubat slammed a glowing wing into Beedrill's abdomen in a super effective critical hit.

"Spee!" Beedrill cried as it fainted.

"R-return B-Beedrill." Matt said, calling his Pokemon back. "Go Pikachu!" he shouted, tossing his next PokeBall into the battle.

"Pikachu!" the Electric Pokemon said.

The battle had just begun, and, even though Matt had already defeated two of her Pokemon, he didn't know how much more he could take. Who will be the victor in this battle between former school mates?

READER'S RESPONSE

Who do you think will win the battle? Matt Crimson, or Jenny Blue?


	12. Way Too Much

Outside of Pallet Town

Chapter Twelve: Way Too Much

"Alright Zubat, use Leech Life!" Jenny commanded and Zubat swooped down on Pikachu, biting it with its sharp fangs and draining away some of Pikachu's HP.

"Pikachu, use Th-Thunder W-Wave!" Matt commanded and Pikachu sent a blue bolt of electricity at the Poison and Flying Pokemon.

"Zubaa!" Zubat cried as it fell to the ground.

"Zubat! No!" Jenny cried. "C-can you attack?" She asked.

"Zuu." Zubat managed to say.

"Use Bite Zubat!" she called, but Zubat was unable to move.

"ThunderShock Pikachu!" Matt commanded and Zubat was hit with a super effective blast of electricity.

"Use Wing Attack!" Jenny called, and Zubat managed to fly up into the air, and strike Pikachu with a glowing Wing Attack. The attack seemed to do very little, if anything, to Matt's Pikachu.

"T-try a Quick Attack!" Matt commanded and Zubat was hit with the lightning fast attack, and it was sent flying back down to the ground.

"Pikaa!" Pikachu chuckled.

"Great job Pikachu!" Matt said to his Pokemon.

"Zubat, use Bite!" Jenny commanded, but the Zubat could not move.

"ThunderShock!" Matt commanded and the Zubat was hit once more by the powerful attack.

"Zuuzuu!" Zubat moaned as it fainted.

"Zubat return." Jenny said, calling the Pokemon back into the PokeBall. "You are really good Matt. I'm so glad that you agreed to battle me!" she said, and Matt looked down at the ground. His face was bright red. "Go Paras!" she shouted, sending out her fourth Pokemon. Paras appeared from the PokeBall in a flash of light.

"Paras, the Mushroom Pokemon. Burrows to suck tree roots. The mushrooms on its back grow by draining nutrients from the Pokemon host." Matt's PokeDex said.

"Paras is part Grass Type, so Pikachu won't be very effective against it." Matt said to himself, trying to decide if he should switch Pokemon or not. "It's part Bug Type too, and that would put Bulbasaur at a disadvantage as well." he thought. "I'm sticking with you Pikachu!" Matt called to his Pokemon, saving Rattata to battle Paras in case Pikachu was to lose. "Use Quick Attack!" he shouted and Pikachu sped off with an incredible speed, crashing into the Paras.

"Paras, use Stun Spore!" Jenny called and Paras released a yellow cloud of dust from its mushrooms. The dust cloud drifted over to Pikachu, instantly paralyzing it.

"P-P-Pikachu!" Matt called. "T-try and use Thunder Wave!" he shouted.

"Piikaachuu!" the Electric Pokemon cried, trying to release the energy from its cheek sacks, but to no avail.

"Now use Scratch Paras!" Jenny commanded and the Bug and Grass Pokemon slashed at Pikachu with its sharp claw.

"Pikachu, use ThunderShock!" Matt commanded and Pikachu managed to send a shock of electricity at Paras, but the attack wasn't very effective.

"Use Leech Life Paras!" Jenny commanded and Paras bit into the paralyzed Pikachu, leeching away some of the HP it had lost from the ThunderShock.

"Chuuu..." Pikachu moaned.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Matt commanded, but Pikachu was unable to attack.

"Scratch Paras!" Jenny shouted, and Paras slashed at Pikachu.

"Piii chaaaauuuu!" Pikachu cried and then fainted.

"N-n-no,... P-Pikachu..." Matt said. "Come back." he said, returning his Pokemon. "G-go R-R-Rattata!" he said, tossing the PokeBall.

"Koratta!" the purple mouse-like Pokemon said upon its entrance.

"Okay Paras, use Stun Spore!" Jenny commanded, trying same thing she had done against Pikachu.

"Use Quick Attack!" Matt commanded and Rattata used the super fast attack to strike Paras before it could use the paralyzing move.

"Paraaa!" Paras cried.

"Paras, use Scratch!" Jenny cried.

"B-Bide Rattata!" Matt commanded and Rattata began to glow white just before Paras' scratch made contact.

"The Bides already taken damage Paras, so use Scratch again." Jenny called and Paras slashed at Rattata again, hoping to defeat it before it could release the stored energy. "It's still not out Paras, use Stun Spore!" she commanded and Paras shook its mushrooms, releasing a cloud of golden dust that paralyzed Rattata.

"Raaaa." Rattata moaned.

"That's enough R-Rattata! Unleash y-your energy!" Matt commanded and Rattata sent a blast of concentrated energy at Paras. The blast was so powerful that it almost took down all of the Pokemon's HP.

"Para para para." Paras panted. It was obvious it was getting very tired. The Bide did an enormous amount of damage.

"Paras, now use Leech Life!" Jenny commanded and the Paras leaped at Rattata.

"Dodge it Rattata!" Matt called.

"Koraaa!" Rattata cried, as the Leech Life penetrated it. It had not been able to dodge the attack due to the paralysis. The Pokemon fainted and Matt called it back into its PokeBall.

"You d-did very well Rattata. Thank you." Matt said to his Pokemon and placed it back on his belt. "G-go M-M-Magikarp!" he shouted, tossing his PokeBall into the air.

"Karp karp karp!" Magikarp said, flopping on the ground after it appeared.

"Paras... use..." Jenny started, trying to think of an attack to use on such a Pokemon. "Scratch... I guess." she commanded and Paras slashed at the Fish Pokemon.

"Kaaaarp!" Magikarp said.

"Magikarp use Tackle!" Matt commanded.

"Karp karp karp!" the Pokemon said but continued to flop around.

"I... guess you haven't... learned Tackle yet..." Matt said.

"Use Scratch again!" Jenny commanded and Paras slashed at Magikarp again.

"Magikarp!" Magikarp cried as it fainted.

"M-M-Magi... karp return." Matt said, bringing his Pokemon back and feeling very embarrassed. "G-go Bulbasaur!" he said, tossing his PokeBall.

"Oh cool a Bulbasaur! That was the Pokemon that I wanted from Kayne's grampa, but it was gone. I guess this means you were the one who took it." Jenny said.

"Y-yeah, I g-guess." Matt said and Jenny took her PokeDex out and checked on Bulbasaur's data.

"Okay Paras, use Leech Life!" she commanded.

"D-dodge it Bulbasaur and use Tackle!" Matt commanded and the Grass and Poison Pokemon did as it was told.

Paras landed hard on the ground. "Palaas!" the Pokemon moaned as it fainted.

"Oh poo!" Jenny cried. "Return Paras!" she said, calling her Pokemon back. "Okay Squirtle, it's your turn!" she shouted, tossing her PokeBall into the air in spinning fashion. The blue turtle-like Pokemon appeared in a flash of light.

"Squirtle, the Tiny Turtle Pokemon. After birth, its back swells and hardens to become a shell. Powerful sprays foam from its mouth." Matt's PokeDex said.

"Isn't my Squirtle great?" Jenny asked. "Since Charmander and Bulbasaur were already taken by you and Kayne I didn't get a choice and had to take Squirtle as my first Pokemon. Not that I'm complaining though. I really love my Squirtle!" she said, picking up her Water Pokemon and squeezing it tight in a hug. "Now Squirtle, let's go. Use Water Gun!" she commanded and Squirtle shot a powerful blast of water at Bulbasaur. The blast was quite powerful, but due to Bulbasaur's Grass Typing, the attack was not very effective.

"Bulbasaur, use Leech Seed!" Matt commanded and Bulbasaur shot a seed at Squirtle, which then sprouted into vines that covered most of the Water Pokemon.

"Use Bubble!" she commanded and Squirtle spit several large bubbles at Bulbasaur, again doing little damage.

"Bulbasaur, u-use V-Vine Whip!" Matt commanded and Bulbasaur lashed at Squirtle with its two vines.

"Squirtle squirt!" the Water Pokemon cried.

"Use Water Gun!" Jenny called and Bulbasaur was hit with the spray of water.

"V-Vine Wh-Whip!" Matt commanded.

"Dodge it Squirtle, quick!" Jenny called, but the Squirtle was hit by the super effective Grass Type move.

"Squiiiirrrrr!" Squirtle said as it fainted.

"Oh no Squirtle!" Jenny said. "Return." she said calling her Pokemon back. "You did very well. Thank you. Now go Spearow!" she shouted, tossing her final PokeBall into the air.

"Spearow, the Tiny Bird Pokemon. Eats bugs in grassy areas. It has to flap its short wings at high speeds to stay airborne." the PokeDex said.

"Uh oh." Matt said, knowing that Spearow could use powerful Flying Type moves like Peck against Bulbasaur. "Man I really wish I could still use Pikachu." he thought to himself.

"Let's do it Spearow! Use Peck!" Jenny commanded and the Normal and Flying Pokemon dove at Bulbasaur, pointing its sharp beak at the Grass Pokemon.

"Dodge it!" Matt shouted and Bulbasaur jumped out of the way just in time. "Now use Leech Seed!" he commanded, but the seed missed its mark.

"Use Peck again!" Jenny called and this time the attack was too fast for Matt to react.

"Saaaaur!" Bulbasaur called out in pain.

"Are you o-okay?" Matt asked Bulbasaur.

"S-saur!" Bulbasaur said.

"O-okay... use Vine Whip!" he commanded and Spearow was hit by Bulbasaur's vines. The attack wasn't very effective against the Flying Type.

"Peck again!" Jenny commanded and Bulbasaur was hit again by the super effective attack.

"Bulbaaa!" Bulbasaur cried.

"Bulba... saur. C-can you still battle?" he asked the Pokemon.

"S-saur... bulba..." Bulbasaur said, slowly climbing to its feet.

"Okay, use Vine Whip!" Matt commanded and the attack slammed into Spearow.

"Mirror Move!" Jenny called out.

"Wh-what? M-Mirror M-Move?" Matt asked and two vines materialized from under Spearow's wings, slapping Bulbasaur across the face.

"Saur!" Bulbasaur said as it fainted.

"Return Bulbasaur." Matt said, calling his Pokemon back. "You were incredible." he said to his Pokemon inside of its PokeBall. "Go Krabby!" Matt called, sending out his newest Pokemon.

"Kuribkurib!" the Pokemon said upon its entrance.

"Oh cool! You've got a Krabby!" Jenny said, taking out her PokeDex and scanning its data. "It looks really strong!"

"I-I really d-d-don't know about th-that. I j-just caught it today." Matt said.

"Well then I'll be the first one to test it out. Go Spearow, use Fury Attack!" she commanded and Spearow pecked at Krabby repeatedly with its sharp beak.

"K-Krabby, use B-Bubble!" Matt commanded and Krabby spit several large bubbles at Spearow.

The bubbles popped on the Flying Pokemon's wings doing critical damage. "Speaaaaarooww!" Spearow cried.

"Spearow, use Peck!" Jenny commanded and Spearow swooped down at Krabby.

"Krabby d-dodge it and use ViceGrip!" Matt commanded and Krabby jumped to the side. Spearow flew right down beside it, missing the Water Pokemon, and Krabby grabbed its wing, crushing it in its powerful grip.

"Rowww!" Spearow cried.

"Oh no!" Jenny cried.

"Now use Bubble!" Matt commanded and Krabby let the bubbles fly from its mouth, coliding with Spearow at a very close range.

"Speaarowww..." the Pokemon moaned as it fainted.

"Sp-Spearow... return." Jenny said, bringing back her final Pokemon.

"B-b-b-but I c-c-couldn't h-have won." Matt said, looking down at his Pokemon in disbelief.

"That was an awesome battle Matthew." Jenny said.

"B-b-but!" Matt said.

"Thank you so much. Oh, we totally forgot to set the bet!" Jenny said, reaching into her purse and pulling out a wad of money.

"N-n-n-no th-thank you. Y-y-you c-can k-k-keep it." Matt said, backing away from the girl as she approached him.

"No! You won the battle so you deserve the money. How about ¥1000, does that sound about right?" she asked, showing Matt the money.

"N-n-n-no! Th-th-that's way too m-much!" Matt said.

"Come on Matthew, take it!" she said, shoving the money in his pocket.

"Oh... k-kay..." he said, blushing.

"Thanks again for the battle." she said and kissed Matt on the cheek. "I think I'm going to go ahead and spend the night at the Pokemon Center. I hope I see you tomorrow Matthew." Jenny said and left him standing there, but not for long.

"Oh... kay..." Matt said and fell to his knees, and then down to his hands.

"Kurib?" Krabby asked.


	13. A Mistyeyed Battle

Outside of Pallet Town

Chapter Thirteen: A Misty-eyed Battle

"Thank you ma'am." Matt said as the Pokemon Center nurse handed him back his PokeBalls. After defeating his old schoolmate, Jenny, Matt had stayed the night at the Cerulean Pokemon Center to give his Pokemon time to heal. It was now only 5:30 in the morning, and he was up and ready to challenge the Gym Leader. He had woken up early so that he could leave before Jenny woke up.

"No problem young man. I hope you have a good time at the Gym." the nurse said with a friendly smile.

"Th-thank you." he said and stepped out of the Pokemon Center. The Cerulean Gym was located right beside the Pokemon Center, and Matt walked up to the glass doors and peered inside. "Well this is convenient. If I lose, I don't have to run far to get to the Pokemon Center." he said, and then realized that this wasn't necessarily a bad thing. "Un-unless that's why they built the Pokemon Center so close..." he said and slowly pushed open the glass doors.

Matt walked into the Gym and he was instantly hit with the smell of chlorine. "Hello welcome to the Cerulean City Gym." a man behind a Gyarados shaped counter asked. "I've never seen you here before. What classes can I sign you up for young man?" the man asked.

"Cl-classes?" Matt asked.

"Yes, we have the Champion Swimmers class, the Deep Diving class, the Snorkeling Class, and our most famous, the Swimming with Seel Class." the man said, putting a clipboard and a pen on the counter.

"Oh, I'm n-not hear for a cl-class. I'm a trainer." Matt said.

"Oh, so then you want the Swimming with Seel Class?" the man asked.

"Isn't this a P-Pokemon G-Gym?" Matt asked.

"Why, of course it is." the man said. "So then if you don't want the Seel Class, which one do you want. Unless you want to sign up for all of them."

"Don't mind him. He's been in some sort of a fitness bug for the past month. All he does is sign people up for these fitness classes, and he forgets about Gym Battles." a red headed girl in a blue bikini said as she walked up to the desk. "So have you found me a judge yet?" the girl asked. Matt started up at the single, perfect pony-tail that stuck out of the side of her head.

"Oh I'm sorry Misty. I forgot to call for one. Maybe I can still find one here." the man said, frantically searching through a phone book.

"Go ahead, but they won't be able to get here until tomorrow." the girl sighed. "And if I'm correct, this trainer wants to battle with me, and he can't if I don't have an official judge." Misty said.

"I am so sorry Misty, but I just got so involved with this new class I'm developing." the man said.

"Wait, you're the G-G-Gym Leader?" Matt asked the girl.

"That's right. I'm Misty, the Mermaid of Cerulean City." Misty said.

"Mermaid? D-does that m-mean you use W-Water Types?" he asked her.

"It sure does!" Misty said with a giggle.

"If she uses Water Pokemon, then why did Sheridan tell me to catch a Water Pokemon when she knew I had a Pikachu and Bulbasaur?" Matt thought to himself.

"But unfortunately, I can't battle you today. The Indigo judge that was assigned to my Gym left for vacation, and my dad here never called for a substitute." Misty said.

"I said I was sorry!" the man said.

"Well, it can't be help. Can I have you come back tom-" Misty started to say.

"Hey ya'll! I'm back!" a girl with short, cyan hair shouted as she walked into the Gym. "Did ya miss me Misty?" the girl asked.

"Sh-Sheridan?" Matt asked.

"Oh hi Matt. How did your battle with Misty go?" she asked.

"We haven't battled yet." Misty answered for him. "My referee went on vacation yesterday, and I still don't have a substitute."

"Well why don't you let me officiate. I'm certified by the Indigo League." Sheridan said, showing Misty and her father a PokeBall shaped badge that resembled a badge a police officer would carry.

"That... would work. Yeah, thanks Sheri. You're a life saver!" Misty said and hugged Sheridan. "Okay, then." she said, turning to Matt. "Go ahead and get registered. I'll be waiting inside for out battle." she said and walked though a sliding glass door. Through the door Matt could see light that looked like it was being reflected off of water.

When Matt walked into the arena, he saw what was reflecting the light and causing the chlorine smell. The battlefield was a swimming pool with a narrow, cross shaped, tile intersection dividing the pool into four sections. "Welcome challenger!" Matt heard Sheridan call from the speakers. He looked around and saw that the bleachers were full, just like the Pewter Gym. "This is Matthew Crimson from Pallet Town. He is a Level One trainer and this is his first time challenging the Gym Leader." she said. "In this battle both trainers are permitted to use two Pokemon, but only the challenger can make substitutions. The bet is set at ¥1150. Are there any questions from the challenger?" she asked and Matt shook his head no at her. "Then let the battle commence."

"Go Staryu!" Misty said, tossing her PokeBall into the air. The PokeBall landed in the water before opening, and the Water Pokemon swam to the surface, ready to battle.

"Staryu huh? I wonder what the PokeDex says about it?" Matt asked and took the PokeDex from his pack and aimed the camera at the star shaped Pokemon.

"Staryu, the Star Shape Pokemon. An enigmatic Pokemon that can effortlessly regenerate any appendage it loses in battle. " the PokeDex said in its computerized voice.

"Go Bulbasaur!" Matt shouted, tossing his PokeBall into the air. Bulbasaur landed on the tile platform that extended over the pool.

"And the first round will be between the Gym Leader's Staryu, and the challenger's Bulbasaur!" Sheridan called. "Please Matt... take my advice..." she said away from the microphone, but Matt did not hear her. "Begin!" she said, waving her flag.

"You have the honor of making the first move." Misty said.

"Oh... kay... Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip!" Matt commanded and Bulbasaur sent its vines at the Water Type Pokemon.

"Dodge it Staryu!" Misty called and Staryu dived underwater. Bulbasaur's vines hit the surface of the water and bounced off. "Now use Water Gun!" she commanded and Staryu shot up out of the water, and then spit a jet of water at Bulbasaur from the top point of its body.

"V-Vine Whip!" Matt called and Bulbasaur attempted to use the attack again.

"Dodge and then use Tackle!" Misty called and Staryu ducked under the water again, avoiding the Vine Whip, and then slammed its body into Bulbasaur.

"Bulbasaur? Come on, use Vine Whip. I know you can do it, remember that guy in Mt. Moon?" Matt called to his Pokemon and it launched its vines at Staryu.

"Please Matt. Stop using the same move. Use a different Pokemon." Sheridan said under her breath.

"Dodge it again, and then use BubbleBeam!" the Gym Leader commanded. Staryu dove under the water for a third time, avoiding the attack, and then blasted a stream of bubbles at Bulbasaur. The Water Type move seemed to do a lot more damage than the Water Gun.

"Leech Seed!" Matt called, and Bulbasaur launched a seed at Staryu, who once again dove underwater. Misty then commanded the Pokemon to use BubbleBeam, and Bulbasaur was hit with the powerful Water attack. "B-Bulbasaur is supposed to have an ad-advantage. Why w-won't Vine Whip w-work?" Matt asked himself.

"Finish it with Tackle!" Misty commanded and Staryu collided with the dual Plant and Poison Pokemon.

"Sauurr." Bulbasaur said as it fainted.

"Bulbasaur? B-but how?"

"Crimson's Bulbasaur is unable to battle, Staryu is the winner." Sheridan dictated.

"Bulbasaur return." Matt said, calling his Pokemon back. "I'm s-sorry Bulbasaur. I guess I was paying more attention to hitting Staryu with a Grass attack then I was to your health. I'm so sorry." he said, placing the PokeBall on his belt.

"During a battle, the most important thing is to watch out for your Pokemon and protect it from harm. Even though Water attacks aren't very effective against a Grass Type, enough of them will still do the job. Next time, please try to pay more attention to your own Pokemon as well as mine." Misty said from across the pool.

"G-go Pikachu!" Matt said, tossing his second PokeBall into the arena. Pikachu appeared on the tile in the same place that Bulbasaur had fainted.

"Oh my gosh a Pikachu!" Sheridan screamed and ran over to Pikachu. "You are so cute, yes you are, yes you are!" the girl said, hugging Pikachu tightly.

"Umm... Sheri, can we continue with this battle?" Misty asked her.

"Oh I'm sorry miss. You know how I get when I see a Pikachu." Sheridan said, rubbing the back of her head. "My dream is to someday catch a Pikachu that knows Surf. Wouldn't that be cool? A Pikachu that can swim as good as any Lapras or Golduck?" she said, turning to Matt.

"Y-yeah I g-g-guess..." Matt said.

"Erhemm." Sheridan cleared her throat. "Sorry about that folks. The next round will be between Misty's Staryu, and Crimson's Pikachu. Let the round begin!" she said, waving her flag.

"Pikachu, use ThunderShock!" Matt commanded and Pikachu sent a bolt of electricity at the Star Shape Pokemon. The attack made contact, electrocuting Staryu.

"Demaaa!" Staryu cried out in pain.

"Staryu, use BubbleBeam!" Misty commanded.

"Dodge it Pikachu!" Matt called, but there was a limited area for Pikachu to run to on the narrow, tile strip and the BubbleBeam collided with the Electric Pokemon.

"Chuu!" Pikachu cried, and nearly slipped of the tile and into the water.

"Use ThunderShock again!" he called.

"Dodge it!" Misty called and the Pokemon dodged the attack, this time, by jumping up into the air. The ThunderShock flew right underneath Staryu, leaving it unharmed.

"This is why I told you to use Water Pokemon." Sheridan said, shaking her head.

"Tackle!" she commanded and Staryu slammed into Pikachu and knocked it into the pool.

"Piiha ka chaaa!" the Mouse Pokemon cried as it struggled to climb out of the water.

"BubbleBeam!" Misty commanded and Pikachu was hit by the powerful jet of bubbles, knocking it further away from the tile platform.

"Pikaaa chawww." Pikachu said, and started to float on its back.

"Pikachu is unable to battle. The winner is Staryu and the victory goes to Misty, the Cerulean Gym Leader." Sheridan said.

"Pikachu!" Matt called to his Pokemon. "Return!" he quickly recalled his Pokemon before it could sink into the pool. "I'm sorry Pikachu. I'm... just not that good. I should have never come to this stupid Gym!" he tossed the money on the floor and then ran out of the Gym, tears streaming down his face.

Sheridan found him sitting in front of the Pokemon Center, holding his head in his hands. "You know, you really made a fool of yourself in there." she said to him.

"I already know, so why tell me. I only managed to land a single attack. I'm not fit to be a trainer." he said, not lifting his head.

"So you lost. It's not like you've never lost a battle before right? Heck, I've lost my fair share of battles too. What's so different about this one?" she asked, sitting down beside him.

"I couldn't do anything. Her Pokemon moved so fast, and they had such a great cover under the water. There was no way I could win. How am I supposed to be a good trainer when I can't even attack my opponent?" he asked. Sheridan could hear him sobbing into his palms.

"That is Misty's style. Every trainer has their own style, and Gym Leaders are no exception. The purpose behind a Gym is to test a trainer. The Indigo League wants to see if trainers can overcome the challenges each Gym has to offer. That's your job. Find a way to get past Misty's water cover. Remember when I told you to use a Water Type Pokemon?" Sheridan asked.

Matt looked up at her. His red face was stained by the trails of his tears. "Yeah... so that's why. If... I use a Water Pokemon, it can use the water cover too, and battle her Pokemon when their in the pool too!" Matt said, suddenly regaining his confidence. "Thanks Sheridan. After my Pokemon are healed, I'm going to challenge her again, this time using a different approach." he said with a smile.

"Don't go charging in that quickly. Why don't you go train some first, that will give you some experience with your Water Pokemon, if you have caught one by now. You might want to head up north. There's a bridge that trainers like to hang out on and challenge others on. It might be a good place to level up your Pokemon, but don't just train your Water Pokemon. Train them all to make sure you cover all your bases." Sheridan said and left Matt's side.

"All my bases?" he said and stood up. "Okay then. Next time I challenge Misty, I won't lose!"


	14. Having a Ball of Gold

Outside of Pallet Town

Chapter Fourteen: Having a Ball of Gold

Route 24 began on a long bridge that was suspended over a fast moving river. "Nugget Bridge." Matt said, reading the sign. Sheridan had suggested that Matt train on this bridge, so that was what he was preparing to do. "Okay, let's get started." he said and began to walk up the bridge, stepping on each plank of wood.

Up a little further, Matt saw a boy leaning against the railing of the bridge. He was wearing a straw hat and carrying a net, just like the boy Matt had battled in the Viridian Forest. "Hi there, my name's Cale." the boy said, looking up at Matt as he approached him.

"H-hi. I w-was told this w-was a good place to train." Matt said.

"You were told right then. This is bridge here holds the Nugget Trial. Do you think you're up for it?" Cale asked.

"Nugget Trial?" Matt asked.

"Yup. All you have to do is beat five trainers, including me, in a set of one-on-one matches and you'll win a fabulous golden Nugget at the end. Its great training, and a lot of fun, not to mention that the Nugget is worth a ton of money." Cale said. "So are you taking the challenge?"

"I really need to do this if I'm going to beat Misty." Matt thought to himself. "Yes, I'm going to take the challenge." he said.

"Splendid! We'll set the bet at ¥250, and let's go!" Cale said, tossing a PokeBall into the air. The PokeBall opened in the air, releasing a brilliant white light. From the white light a butterfly-like Pokemon appeared, flapping its beautiful white wings.

"Butterfree, the Butterfly Pokemon. Butterfree is the evolved form of Metapod and the final form of Caterpie. In battle, it flaps its wings at high speeds releasing a highly toxic dust into the air." Matt's PokeDex stated in its simulated voice.

"B-Butterfree? Okay... I'll u-use... Krabby!" he said, tossing his PokeBall. Krabby appeared in front of Matt, its sharp claws out, ready to battle.

"Go ahead and make the first move." Cale said.

"Okay then, Krabby, use Bubble!" Matt commanded and Krabby's mouth started to foam, sending the bubbles crashing into Butterfree.

"Freeehehehe!" Butterfree cried.

"Butterfree, use Supersonic!" Cale commanded.

"Fureeee!" Butterfree let out an ear piercing scream, directed at Krabby.

"Kurribbb!" Krabby said, and it suddenly began acting strangely.

"Krabby, use Bubble again!" Matt called and Krabby let out another foam of bubbles. This time the Bubble attack came back at the Water Pokemon, damaging it instead of Butterfree. "What? Why'd you do that Krabby?" Matt asked.

"Your Krabby is confused. When a Pokemon is confused the only thing you can do is return it to its PokeBall, or just have it keep battling until it snaps out of it. Since you can't return your Pokemon in a one-on-one battle like this, I guess you're just gonna have to wait it out. Butterfree, use Confusion!" Cale commanded and Butterfree's eyes began to glow with a violet light. The same violet began to glow from Krabby's body.

"What?" Matt asked as Krabby was lifted up into the air, and then slammed back down on the ground with a terrible force. "Krabby, use ViceGrip!" he commanded and Krabby jumped into the air, and clamped one of its claws down on Butterfree's feet. "Yes, that time it worked!"

"That was lucky. Butterfree, use Tackle!" Cale said and Butterfree dove down at Krabby.

"Dodge it Krabby!" Matt called, but Krabby could not understand Matt's command due to its confusion.

"Kurriiib!" Krabby cried, and then suddenly it looked like its focus had come back.

"Looks like it snapped out of confusion. Do something about that Butterfree. Use Supersonic!" Cale said and Butterfree let out the ear piercing cry again, sending a wave of sound at Krabby.

"Dodge it Krabby!" Matt commanded and Krabby jumped to the side. The sound wave crashed into the ground to the left of Krabby, missing the Water Pokemon. "Great, now use Leer!" he called and Krabby glared intensely at Butterfree, lowering the Bug Pokemon's defense.

"Butterfree, use Poison Powder!" Cale called and Butterfree flapped its wings, releasing a purple cloud of dust. The purple cloud floated over Krabby, poisoning the Pokemon.

"Oh no, Krabby!" Matt called. "We have to finish this quickly! Krabby, use ViceGrip!" he commanded and Krabby leaped up into the air again, this time clamping down on Butterfree's wing.

"Freeheheee!" Butterfree cried as it crashed to the ground. The ViceGrip had caused much more damage than it had done the first time due to Butterfree's lowered defense.

"Butterfree return." Cale said. "That was a great battle. I present you with the ¥250, and the right to continue your way up Nugget Bridge." he said and handed Matt the money.

"Th-thank y-you." Matt said. "Here you go Krabby." he said, spraying Krabby down with a Potion and injecting it with an Antidote to cure its poisoning. "Does that feel better?"

"Kurrib!" Krabby said.

"Okay then, return." he said, putting his Pokemon back into its PokeBall, and then continued his way across the bridge.

"Okay, I'm up next." a girl with long, blonde hair said when Matt approached her. She was wearing a tight, baby-blue tennis shirt and a short, pink skirt. "My name is Ali. The rules are the same as the last battle, one-on-one with a ¥250 bet. Are you ready?" the girl asked.

"Y-y-y-yeah." Matt said, blushing.

"Okay then, let's go Oddish!" Ali said, tossing her GreatBall into the air. The ball opened in mid-air and the round blue Pokemon appeared in front of her. The leaves on its head shook as the wind passed through them.

"Oddish, the Weed Pokemon. During the day it keeps its face buried in the ground. At night, it wonders around sowing seeds." the PokeDex said.

"Go Beedrill!" Matt said, tossing his PokeBall into the battle.

"Spee speee!" Beedrill said upon its entrance.

"You get to go first." the girl said.

"Right. Beedrill, u-use Fury Attack!" Matt commanded and Beedrill flew down at Oddish, striking the Grass and Poison Pokemon five times with its powerful spears.

"Oddish, use Absorb!" the girl shouted, and a green light shot from Oddish to Beedrill, draining away some of Beedrill's Hit Points and giving them to Oddish. The attack did very little since Grass Type attacks were weak against both Bug and Poison Pokemon.

"Beedrill, use Twineedle!" Matt commanded and Beedrill struck Oddish twice with its spears.

"Owwwddd!" the Weed Pokemon cried, fainting after just two attacks. Bug Type moves like Twineedle were super effective against Grass Pokemon, though it was weakened by Oddish's Poison characteristics, and it was a critical hit.

"Wow... that was easy." Matt said, astonished at Beedrill's power.

"Oddish return!" Ali said, calling her Pokemon back. "You were way to rough on Oddish! But... a win's a win. Here take your money and move on to the next trainer." she said, handing Matt the ¥250 and then running down the bridge towards Cerulean City.

"That... was amazing Beedrill." Matt said.

"Spee spee!" Beedrill said.

"Return." he said, and placed the PokeBall back on his belt, and then continued up the bridge.

"I'm third, so be ready." said a boy wearing tan shorts, a red and white striped shirt, and a green ball cap. "The names Timmy, and I can tell by looking at you that you don't stand a chance against my Pokemon." the boy said.

"H-how can you tell?" Matt asked.

"Just look at your pants. No respectable trainers should be walking around in long blue jeans. Shorts are the way to go man." Timmy said. "Anyway, do you want to battle anyway?"

"Y-yeah." Matt said, knowing that he needed the training.

"Same rules. Okay, go Ekans!" Timmy shouted, tossing his PokeBall. The purple snake-like Pokemon appeared in front of its trainer, all coiled up and ready to strike.

"Abaaaaa!" the Pokemon said.

"Ekans, the Snake Pokemon. Moves silently and stealthily. Eats the eggs of birds such as Spearow and Pidgey whole." Matt's PokeDex said.

"Go R-Rattata!" Matt said, sending his Normal Type Pokemon into battle.

"Ko raaa!" Rattata said.

"Make your move." the boy said.

"Okay, go Rattata, use Quick Attack!" Matt commanded and Rattata jumped at Ekans at an extremely fast speed.

"Dodge it Ekans!" Timmy commanded, but Rattata was too fast for the Poison Type Pokemon.

"Abowww!" Ekans cried.

"Ekans, use Poison Sting!" Timmy commanded and Ekans shot a series of purple needles at Rattata from its mouth.

"Raaah!" Rattata moaned as the needles poked into its skin.

"Rattata, use Hyper Fang!" Matt called and Rattata clamped its powerful jaws down on Ekans rattle.

"Chaaabow!" Ekans screamed.

"Ekans, use Bite!" Timmy shouted and Ekans lunged at Rattata, its long body stretching out completely so that Matt could see just how long the Pokemon was.

"D-dodge it Rattata!" he called and Rattata jumped out of the way, barely being hit by the attack. "Great, now use Hyper Fang again!" he commanded, and Rattata bit Ekans right in the middle of its body, a critical hit.

"Chaaaahbowww." Ekans said, and fainted.

"Alright Rattata!" he cheered.

"Ratta!" Rattata said, and then began to glow white.

"Whoa dude, your Rattata's evolving!" the youngster said.

"R-really?" Matt said and watched as his small Mouse Pokemon grew into a large, brown, rat-like Pokemon. "Wow, a Raticate. That's great Rattata, you evolved!" he said and hugged his newly evolved Pokemon.

"Ratta!" Raticate said.

"Raticate, the Mouse Pokemon. It uses its whiskers for balance and will slow down if they are cut off." the PokeDex said.

"That's awesome. Return Raticate." he said, putting his new Pokemon in its pocket.

"Well, here's your money. Go ahead to the next trainer." Timmy said, and Matt left him for the next challenge.

"I don't get it. Why is this so easy?" Matt asked himself as he walked up to the next trainer.

"I'm the fourth trainer of the Nugget Trial. My name is Ami. The rules are the same as before, with a bet set at ¥250. Are you ready to battle?" a girl with long, wavy hair the color a Rattata's fur asked. She was wearing yellow tube top and a white skirt.

"Yes, I am." Matt said.

"Oh goodie. Go Charmander!" Ami said, tossing her PokeBall into the battle.

"I choose you, Krabby!" Matt said, and sent Krabby out of its PokeBall.

"You've got the first move." the girl said.

"Oh... kay... Krabby, use ViceGrip!" he commanded and Krabby jumped towards Charmander, clamping its claws down on the Fire Pokemon's tail.

"Chaaa!" Charmander cried.

"Charmander, use Mega Kick!" Ami called and Charmander swung its foot and the close-by Krabby, kicking it with an incredible force.

"Kurrribbb!" Krabby cried.

"Krabby, use Bubble!" Matt commanded and Krabby sent a foamy spray at Charmander. The Water move was super effective against the Fire Type.

"Charmander, use Scratch!" Ami commanded and Charmander slashed at Krabby with its sharp claws.

"Use B-Bubble!" Matt called and Krabby sent another spray of bubbles at Charmander.

"Ember!" the girl called and Charmander swung its tail back and forth, sending sparks flying from its tail at Krabby. The attack did very little due to Krabby's type advantage.

"Leer Krabby!" Matt called and Krabby glared at Charmander, lowering the Lizard Pokemon's defenses.

"Mega Kick!" Ami commanded and Charmander swung a glowing foot at Krabby.

"Dodge it, and then use ViceGrip!" Matt commanded and Krabby jumped to the left, and then ducked to dodge the attack.

"Kurriibbb!" Krabby cried and then clamped its pincer onto Charmander's foot.

"Manndaaaah!" Charmander cried, and then fell on its back.

"No Charmander!" Ami cried and ran to her Pokemon. "That Krabby is really strong. You must have been training with it for a really long time!" the girl said.

"W-well act-actually, I just c-caught it yesterd-day." Matt said, rubbing the back of its head.

"Wow, yesterday? No kidding?" she asked. "That's so cool. You just caught it and its already so powerful. Well, here's your money. I've gotta take Charmander to the Pokemon Center. Have fun against the last trainer!" she said, and then ran down the bridge to Cerulean City with Charmander in her arms.

"R-return Krabby." Matt said, calling his Pokemon back and then continued to the last trainer of the Nugget Trial.

"Alright, so you've made it to me. That means you must be pretty good, but I'm afraid you're gonna stop here. My name is Ethan. The rules of this battle are the same, but the bet is set to ¥500 instead of ¥250. Are you ready for this battle?" the boy asked.

"Yes, I'm ready." Matt said.

"Okay, go Mankey!" Ethan said, sending his Pokemon out of its PokeBall.

"Let's go Beedrill!" Matt shouted, tossing his PokeBall into the air.

"Spee speee!" Beedrill cried.

"Go ahead and attack." Ethan said.

"Beedrill, use Furry Attack!" Matt commanded, beginning the battle. Beedrill flew at Mankey, jabbing it with its sharp spears.

"Mankey, use Scratch!" Ethan commanded and Mankey jumped up into the air, slashing at Beedrill.

"Twineedle!" Matt called and Beedrill jabbed its spears into Mankey twice.

"Keey!" Mankey cried, holding the wound under its arm. The Twineedle had managed to poison the Fighting Type Pokemon.

"Mankey, use Karate Chop!" Ethan called out.

"Maaahhkeeei!" Mankey screeched and jumped into the air, just above Beedrill's head. "Keikeeei!" the Pig Monkey Pokemon said and hit Beedrill hard on the top of its head with the side of its head.

"Speeee!" Beedrill cried as it crashed to the ground. "Spa spee spiii." Beedrill said, picking itself back up.

"Mahh." Mankey moaned from the pain of its poison.

"Beedrill, use Fury Attack!" Matt commanded and Beedrill unleashed a fury of jabbing attack at the Mankey, which proved to much for the Pokemon. The Fighting Pokemon fell over and fainted from the loss of all its Hit Points.

"Mankey return." Ethan said, bringing his Pokemon back. "Well, congratulations. You've completed the Nugget Trial. Here is your ¥500." he said, handing Matt the money. "Now go to the end of the bridge where a man will award you with your prize, the valuable Nugget." Ethan said and Matt left him, heading for the end of Nugget Bridge.

At the end of the bridge Matt saw a man dressed in a black overcoat and a hat that covered his face. "H-hello." Matt said to the man.

"Since you're here, that must mean you've completed the Nugget Trial. Am I correct?" the man asked.

"Y-y-yes it is sir." Matt said.

"Great. Here is your prize." the man said, handing Matt a small ball of pure gold, without looking at the boy.

"Th-thank you sir." Matt said and placed the Nugget in his pack.

"You must have some potential as a trainer if you've beaten all five trainers. So I have a question for you, actually, it's more of a proposition." the man said, and tilted his hat upward, revealing an intimidating smile. "How would you like to join Team Rocket?" he asked.

"T-Team R-Rocket?" Matt asked, thinking back to the man in Mt. Moon that had attacked Sheridan and him with six Sandshrew, all at the same time. "I-I don't th-think so. I don't know m-much about your... gang... but I know it's n-nothing good." he said.

"Well I'm sorry to hear that." the man said, throwing of the over coat and revealing the same uniform the man in Mt. Moon had been wearing. "If you won't join us, then I'll just take your Pokemon!" he said and tossed a PokeBall into the air. A Zubat appeared in a flash of light.

"Pikachu, use ThunderShock!" he commanded, tossing his PokeBall. Pikachu appeared in another flash of light and sent a bolt of electricity at Zubat, instantly knocking it out.

"Dammit! Zubat return!" the Team Rocket thug said, pulling back his Pokemon. "You have no clue what you've just turned down kid. When we take over the world, only those who have sided with us will be spared. You had your chance!" he said and ran off.

"Th-thank you Pikachu." Matt said, and returned Pikachu to its PokeBall.

"Meyuuu yuu!" a strange, high pitched noise came from above Matt's head. He looked up and saw a small, pink, cat-like Pokemon fly over his head.

"Wh-what is that? I've never seen a Pokemon like that before." he said and quickly took out his PokeDex and aimed the camera at the mystery Pokemon.

"Mew, the New Species. So rare that it is still said to be a mirage by many experts. Only a few people have seen it worldwide." the PokeDex said.

"Whoa..." Matt said, watching the Pokemon float into the distance. "I can't let a Pokemon that rare get away!" he said and chased after the Pokemon.

READER'S RESPONSE:

Does anyone know the significance of Matt seeing Mew on Route 24?


	15. The Mystery that is Eevee

Outside of Pallet Town

Chapter Fifteen: The Mystery that is Eevee

"Dang, where did it get to?" Matt asked. He had been chasing after the rare Pokemon for almost an hour, and now he had lost track of it. "Well, that sucks." he said and looked around at his surroundings. "Now where am I?" he asked. He was standing along side of a slow moving river, probably part of the river that flowed under Nugget Bridge, and on the other side of him was a small cottage. "Maybe they have a phone I could use to call Professor Oak." he said, approaching he house.

"Who's there?" a voice asked as Matt knocked on the front door.

"M-my name is M-Matt Crimson, and I w-was j-j-just wondering if I c-could use your phone. I'm a l-little lost." he said, and the door opened. He walked inside and looked around, but did not see anyone. "H-hello?"

"Yes, yes. I'm over here." the voice said and Matt looked to his left. He still couldn't see anyone, but there was a small, pink Pokemon sitting on a counter.

"Wow, a Clefairy. A real Clefairy!" Matt said and quickly took out his PokeDex.

"Clefairy, the Fairy Pokemon. Its magical and cute appeal has many admirers. It is rare and only found in certain areas." the PokeDex said in an electronic voice.

"I've always wanted a Clefairy of my own. I wonder where its owner is?" he said, walking up to the Pokemon.

"Owner? I don't have an owner!" the Clefairy said, startling Matt and causing him to fall back on his bottom.

"Y-y-y-you j-just t-t-talked!" Matt exclaimed. "P-P-P-Pokemon c-can't t-t-talk!"

"You are perfectly right. Pokemon can not speak like a Human, but then again, I am not a Pokemon." the Clefairy said, jumping down from the counter and approaching Matt. "My name is Bill, and I am a Pokemon Researcher."

"P-Pokemon Researcher? B-but how can a P-Pokemon be a Pokemon R-Researcher?" Matt asked and the Clefairy rubbed its temples.

"I am not a Pokemon. I'm human. This is just one of my experiments." the Pokemon said. "You... don't believe me... do you?"

"Y-you sure l-look like a Clefairy to m-me." Matt said.

"Still skeptical eh? Well then I'll just have to show you." the supposed Pokemon Researcher said and walked over to a machine. "Just watch this." the Pokemon said and climbed into a large metal capsule. The door of the capsule closed and Matt could see a rainbow of lights flash from inside. When the flashing stopped, the door opened back up, and a teenage boy stepped out. "Now like I had said before, my name is Bill, and I'm a Pokemon Researcher." Bill said.

"H-how is th-that possible?" Matt asked, greatly startled by what he had just witnessed.

"It's part of my Pokemon DNA Project. It lets me take the form of a Pokemon, but I am still unable to understand the language of the creatures, nor am I able to access any of their attacks or abilities." Bill said. "By the way, that thing you were using, is that by any chance a PokeDex?"

"Y-yes it is. How do you know what a PokeDex is?" Matt asked, looking up at Bill. Bill was tall, and had curly brown hair, just like Matt, but it looked much better on Bill. The Pokemon Researcher wore a white, button down dress shirt and a blue tie, and tan dress pants. Matt thought he looked very handsome, for a guy.

"I'm a student of Professor Oak of Pallet Town. Since you have one of his prototypes, I assume that you know him. Am I right?" he asked.

"Y-yes. I know Professor Oak very well. I've lived next to him almost all my life." Matt said.

"Wait a second, you said your name is Matthew Crimson. I know who you are now! Professor Oak has told me all about you. You're the shy boy that he gave a Bulbasaur too!" Bill said.

"Y-yeah... h-he told you about me?" Matt asked.

"Yes, yes. Don't worry, it's nothing bad. Both you and Kayne set off on the same day. Kayne stopped by a few days ago. He had two badges, how many do you have?" he asked.

"I've only g-got one." Matt said, looking to the ground.

"Oh that's too bad. Now, let's see what Pokemon you've got." Bill said and started working on his computer.

"Wh-what do you mean?" Matt asked.

"Well, when you became a Pokemon trainer, you were automatically registered into my Pokemon Storage System. That's why whenever you catch a Pokemon while you already have six with you, it is teleported away from you. By checking what Pokemon you have in storage, I can help you decide which Pokemon to use against Misty." he said.

"B-but... I only have six P-Pokemon. I haven't ca-caught any more." Matt said.

"R-really? And you've been a Pokemon trainer for the same type as Kayne Oak? He already has over seventeen Pokemon in storage." Bill said. "Oh well. Tell me, do you have any Water Types?" he asked.

"A Krabby and a Magikarp." Matt answered.

"Well Krabby will be very useful, but it won't be enough by itself. Can I please see your Magikarp's PokeBall?" he asked.

"S-sure." Matt said, handing Bill the PokeBall. "Wh-what do you need it for?"

Bill took the PokeBall and placed it on a square pad that was hooked up to his computer. An image of Magikarp appeared on the screen as well as a list of words and numbers. "This program allows me to check you Pokemon's stats. It appears Magikarp is only at level three and can only use Splash. That's too bad. If it knew Tackle it could be put to good use, but it would take weeks to train it to that level." he said and handed Matt back the PokeBall.

"S-so what sh-should I do?" Matt asked.

"Well, what other Pokemon do you have?" Bill asked.

"Bulbasaur, Rattata, Beedrill, and Pikachu." Matt said. "Wait, I mean Raticate. Rattata just evolved." he corrected himself.

"Congratulations on your evolution." Bill said. "Now, both Pikachu and Bulbasaur would typically have an advantage against Water Type Pokemon, but that is not always the case against a Gym Leader."

"I know... I used b-both of them against h-her, and I couldn't ev-even get past her f-first Pokemon." Matt said.

"So you've already had a battle against Misty? Well, as you know, she is a very talented trainer, and she has defenses against her weaknesses. What tactics did you use?" he asked.

"I had Bulbasaur use Vine Whip against Staryu, but it kept diving underwater, and the vines just skipped against the surface. With Pikachu, I thought I could hit it with electricity, even underwater, but it jumped into the air and dodged the attacks." Matt explained.

"I'm not sure what we can do about Pikachu's electricity, but I may be able to help with Vine Whip." Bill said.

"Vuiii." a small Pokemon said and jumped up onto Bill's lap.

"Aww, do you want to help this trainer Eevee?" Bill asked the Pokemon.

"An Eevee?" Matt asked.

"Eevee, the Evolution Pokemon. Its genetic code is irregular. It may mutate if it is exposed to the radiation from element stones." the PokeDex said.

"Eevee is another subject that I am studying at the moment. It is an increasingly interesting Pokemon to evolve into three different Pokemon through the use of special stones." Bill said and took out a box. He opened the box revealing three, gem like stones, each with a different design inside.

"Vuii vuii!" the Eevee said.

"Aren't Eevee rare Pokemon?" Matt asked.

"In the wild, yes they are. They are very popular Pokemon, and many trainers want Eevee due to their Abilene to adapt to the trainers Type preferences. I was just about to make this Eevee evolve for my project. Would you like to watch?" he asked.

"Yes!" Matt screamed. "S-sorry. Y-yes. I would love to."

"It's fine. Seeing a Pokemon evolve is always a treat." he said, then turned to Eevee. "Alright Eevee, are you ready?"

"Vuii!" Eevee said, nodding yes.

"Okay, here we go." Bill said and took the blue stone with, what looked to be, bubbles inside from the box and placed it against Eevee's fur. Instantly the Pokemon began to glow with a white light and the stone was absorbed into the Pokemon's body. When the light faded, the Eevee had changed to a blue Pokemon with a fish like tail.

"Vaporeon, the Bubble Jet Pokemon. It is an evolved form of Eevee. Lives close to water. Its long tail is ridged with a fin and is often mistaken for a mermaid's." Matt's PokeDex said.

"Whoa!" Matt said.

"Whoa indeed. Still, I can't figure out why Eevee reacts to the Water Stone like this. It also evolves when exposed to a Fire Stone and a Thunderstone, but not a Leaf Stone. Its strange, and I've yet to find any clues to why." Bill said, picking up the Thunderstone and holding it up to the light. A lightning bolt shaped shadow appeared over his face as the light passed through the transparent part of the stone, and was blocked out by the solid shape inside. "Eevee is indeed a mystery."

"Pooreee!" Vaporeon said, pawing at its master.

"Oh right, Matthew, would you like some help improving that Vine Whip?" Bill asked.

"S-sure. I would r-really appreciate it." Matt said.

"Okay, let's head outside." Bill said and walked out of the cottage. He walked to the slow moving river and then to the middle of a small bridge. "Vaporeon, go ahead." he said, and the Bubble Jet Pokemon jumped into the water. Matt watched the Pokemon, and to his amazement, it started to disappear before his eyes.

"Wh-where did it go?" Matt asked.

"Vaporeon has the ability to turn its body into water. This raises its defensive power." Bill explained. "Vaporeon, show yourself." he said and Vaporeon reappeared. "Great Vaporeon. Now Matt, go ahead and send out Bulbasaur."

"Bulbasaur, come on out." Matt said, pressing the button on the PokeBall.

"Saur!" Bulbasaur said upon its entrance.

"Now, all I want you to do is have Bulbasaur use Vine Whip. Just keep trying to hit Vaporeon until I say stop." Bill said.

"O-okay..." Matt said, unsure of Bill's intentions. "Bulbasaur use V-Vine Whip!" he commanded, and the Pokemon shot its vines at Vaporeon, who dodged by swimming under the water. The vines skipped across the surface, just as they had done in Misty's Gym. "S-see. Nothing." he said.

"Just keep going." Bill said, studying Bulbasaur's movements.

"T-try it again Bulbasaur." Matt said, and Bulbasaur released a series of Vine Whips.

"Okay, that's enough." Bill said.

"St-stop Bulbasaur." Matt said, and Bulbasaur halted its attacks.

"Vaporeon, dive down to the bottom of the river and wait there." Bill commanded and his Pokemon obeyed. "Now, I want Bulbasaur to use Vine Whip again, this time, focus only on penetrating the surface of the water, not on Vaporeon."

"Okay Bulbasaur, you heard him. Use Vine Whip on the water. Focus all your power into breaking the surface." Matt commanded.

"Bulbaa!" Bulbasaur cried and shot its vines at the water's surface. The vines bounced of the surface, just like before. "Saur!" it cried, trying once more. Still, they skipped off.

"Just keep trying until you get it!" Matt said.

"Saur!" Bulbasaur cried and continued to try.

"I'm going to head inside and start working on my research. After you break the surface of the water, then try focusing on hitting Vaporeon. When you accomplish that, come and get me." Bill said, and left Matt to train.

"Hmm... well that doesn't help me." Bill said, looking at his computer screen. He had an Eevee hooked up to his computer by a series of wires and electrodes.

"Bill! Bill! Come quick!" Matt said, bursting through the cottage door.

"What is it Matt?" Bill asked, running to Matt's side.

"Look what Bulbasaur and I can do!" Matt said excitedly. The two ran outside to the river where Bulbasaur was standing. "Okay Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip!" he commanded.

"Bullllbaaa!" Bulbasaur cried and launched its vines at the water. This time, the vines had enough power to penetrate the water's surface, and they continued down, until Vaporeon flew up out of the water with Bulbasaur's vines underneath it.

"Vaaahporr!" Vaporeon cried and landed at its master's feet.

"Amazing, it only took you three hours to level up that far. Great job Matthew, and great job Bulbasaur!" Bill congratulated them. "I think you're ready to challenge the Gym again, and I would suggest you use Bulbasaur and Krabby. Things might go a bit differently this time." he said.

"Thanks Bill." Matt said grinning and scratching the back of his head. "Oh, I forgot to ask you. Did you see a Mew fly past your house before I got here?" he asked.

"Mew?" Bill laughed.

"Yeah, just after I finished the Nugget Trial on Nugget Bridge, one flew past me and I chased it all the way up Route 24, and then partway up Route 25, but I lost it just before I got to your house." Matt said.

"Y-you're serious?" Bill asked, smiling a little bit, but also curios.

"Yeah. It just flew past me, completely ignoring me." Matt said.

"M-Matthew,... Mew is a Legendary Pokemon. It's just fiction... or at least I think it is. There have only been a few reports and Mew sightings in the past one hundred years, so I'm going to have to say that you were mistaken in what you saw. It was probably just a dwarfed Persian or something like that. I'm sorry Matt." Bill said.

"But the PokeDex said it was Mew!" Matt insisted, taking out his PokeDex.

Bill took the PokeDex and open it to the page on Mew. "Well, the PokeDex does say that it has seen a Mew, but it must just be a glitch in the system. Another possibility is that you just saw some undiscovered Pokemon, or a Pokemon that Professor Oak hasn't programed into the PokeDex yet, like a Pokemon from Hoenn." Bill said, handing Matt back his Pokemon.

"Really...?" Matt asked., disappointed that he was wrong. "Then I guess there's no point in calling Professor Oak and telling him." he said sadly.

"Not exactly. I'm going to call Professor Oak and have a discussion about this with him. We'll see if we need to get your PokeDex fixed or if there is another Pokemon that the PokeDex might have gotten confused with Mew." Bill said, patting Matt on the shoulder. "Don't worry, it is just a case of mistaken identity."

So Matt left Bill's Cerulean Cape feeling both disappointed at not actually seeing Mew, and overjoyed that he had a new found strength to use against the Cerulean City Gym Leader.


	16. A Cascade of Emotions

Outside of Pallet Town

Chapter Sixteen: A Cascade of Emotions

"Welcome challenger!" Sheridan called when Matt walked into the arena. The stadium bleachers were fuller than Matt remembered from the first time he had battled Misty. "This is Matthew Crimson's second time challenging the Cerulean City Gym. The challenger hails from the town of Pallet and is a Level One trainer. The rules are the same as the last time you battled. Two Pokemon per trainer, only the challenger can make substitutions, and the bet is set at ¥1150. Are you ready?" she asked, and everyone in the stadium looked down at Matt.

"Yes!" Matt said confidently.

"Alright, let's get this battle started!" Sheridan called, and then turned towards Misty.

"Staryu, come on out!" the Gym Leader shouted, tossing her PokeBall into the air. Staryu materialized from the white light and landed in the pool with a splash.

"Go Bulbasaur!" Matt called, tossing his PokeBall. Bulbasaur landed on the tile walkway, its vines up in the air, ready for an attack.

"The first round of this battle will be between the Gym Leader's Staryu, and Crimson's Bulbasaur. Let the battle begin!" Sheridan called, waving her flag. "I hope that training helped." she said to herself.

"Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip!" Matt commanded and Bulbasaur shot its vines off at Staryu.

"Staryu, dodge it!" Misty commanded and the Star Shape Pokemon dove under the water.

"No Matt... you're doing the same thing." Sheridan said.

"Focus hard and penetrate the surface!" Matt called to his Pokemon and the vines broke straight through the water, and struck Staryu hard.

"Hitaaa!" Staryu cried as it jumped out of the water.

"Now use Leech Seed!" Matt called and Bulbasaur shot a series of seeds at Staryu. The seeds then covered Staryu in HP leeching vines.

"M-maybe he has learned something." Sheridan said in her surprise.

"Staryu, use Water Gun!" Misty commanded and Staryu shot a blast of water at Bulbasaur. The Water Type attack did very little to Bulbasaur.

"Vine Whip!" Matt commanded of his Pokemon.

"Dodge it Staryu!" Misty commanded and Staryu jumped under the water. Once again, Bulbasaur's Vine Whip broke through the water's surface and struck Staryu.

"Hittaaaaa!" Staryu cried as it flew up in the air, and then crashed down in the water, floating with its gem side down.

"Staryu is unable to battle. Crimson's Bulbasaur is the winner!" Sheridan called.

"Staryu, return!" Misty called and Staryu was turned into a red energy and called back into its PokeBall. "Go Starmie!" she said, tossing a GreatBall into the water. Starmie appeared on the water's surface, looking much more fierce than its pre-evolved form.

"Starmie, the Mysterious Pokemon. It is the evolved form of Staryu. Its central core glows with the seven colors of the rainbow. Many people value the core as a gem." the PokeDex said.

"Okay Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip!" Matt commanded and Starmie was struck with a powerful Grass Type attack.

"Starmie, use Water Gun!" Misty commanded and Starmie shot a blast of water at Bulbasaur, still doing very little.

"Leech Seed!" Matt commanded and Bulbasaur covered the Pokemon in a bunch of health sapping vines.

"Starmie, use BubbleBeam!" she called and Bulbasaur was struck by a powerful blast of bubbles.

"Vine Whip!" Matt called and Starmie was again hit with the powerful attack. Misty had given up on dodging the attack by diving underwater.

"Starmie, use Psywave!" Misty commanded and a multicolored ray of light shot from the Starmie's core, and struck Bulbasaur on the head. It was a Psychic type attack, and that meant it was super effective against a Poison Type like Bulbasaur.

"Saur!" Bulbasaur cried out.

"Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip!" Matt called.

"No Matt,... you're starting to do it again..." Sheridan said with a sigh.

"Psywave!" Misty commanded and Bulbasaur was hit again with the super effective attack.

"B-bul..." Bulbasaur cried.

"Bulbasaur, use-" Matt began to command.

"S-saur!" Bulbasaur said, and fainted.

"Bulbasaur! No!" Matt called to his Pokemon.

"Bulbasaur is unable to fight. Misty's Starmie is the winner." Sheridan called.

"B-Bulbasaur... return." Matt said, calling Bulbasaur back into its PokeBall. "Thank you so much. You took out that Staryu so easily. We would have beaten Starmie too if... if I had tried harder. Maybe if I tried a different attack, instead of just Vine Whip. I'm sorry." he said, and placed the ball back on his belt. "Go Krabby!" he called, tossing his second PokeBall into the air. The River Crab Pokemon landed in the pool with a splash.

"The third round of this battle will be between the Gym Leader's Starmie, and the challenger's Krabby. Let the battle begin!" Sheridan shouted, waving her flag. "A Krabby huh, maybe he can do this. Bulbasaur was a good shot, but Type advantage can't always cut it. Let's see how Krabby can do in the water."

"K-Krabby, use ViceGrip!" Matt called and Krabby jumped forward at Starmie, its sharp claws snapping through the air.

"Starmie, dodge it!" Misty commanded and Starmie jumped into the water and swam down to the bottom of the pool. "Now use Psywave!" she called and Krabby was hit by a multicolored ray of energy as it tried to swim down to use its ViceGrip.

"Kurib!" Matt heard Krabby's muffled cried from the water.

"Krabby, use ViceGrip!" Matt commanded and Krabby began swimming down towards Starmie. When Krabby neared the Mysterious Pokemon, its right claw began to glow with a beautiful, sapphire light. "Th-that's not ViceGrip!" Matt shouted.

"That's Guillotine! Dodge it Starmie!" Misty shouted and Starmie quickly darted away from Krabby.

"G-Guillotine?" Matt asked.

"Starmie, use BubbleBeam!" Misty commanded and Krabby was hit with a powerful spray of bubbles from Starmie.

"G-Guillotine? K-Krabby... use Guillotine!" Matt called and Krabby swam at Starmie at is fastest speed with its shining blue claw.

"Sutaaaa!" Starmie called as Krabby's claw clamped down on its body. "Staaamaaa!" the Water and Psychic Pokemon moaned as it floated to the surface.

"Starmie is unable to battle. Crimson's Krabby is the winner, and therefore, Matthew Crimson is the victor of this match!" Sheridan called and the crowd began to clap with a great ferocity.

"St-Starmie return." Misty said, calling her Pokemon back into its GreatBall. She walked the tile pathway up to Matt. "Well Matt, for a moment there, I thought I was going to win again. That Guillotine really changed things around, didn't it." she laughed. "Congratulations on you victory, and to congratulate you further, I would like to present you with this, an Indigo League Cascade Badge." Misty said and pinned a blue, tear-drop shaped badge onto Matt's vest.

"Th-thank you Misty." he said, pulling his vest out and gazing at his new badge.

"Also, I would like you to have this." she said, and handed Matt a CD case with a blue disk inside. "This is TM11, it contains the move BubbleBeam. I think it will be a useful tool for you in battles ahead." she said, handing Matt the CD and the ¥1150 he had earned.

"Thank y-you Misty." Matt said, gazing at his new Badge and the Technical Machine's disk.

"I hope to see great things from you." Misty said.

"As do I." Sheridan said. "That was a great battle Matt, but there are still many, many things that you need to learn about Pokemon to become a master. I wish you well on your journey." she said and Matt left the Gym, running to the Pokemon Center.

"Hi Mom. I just thought I would check in on how things are going on at home." Matt said to the image of his mother on the screen.

"Oh hi honey! We're doing great here in Pallet Town, how are you doing on your journey sweetheart?" she asked and Matt flashed his Boulder Badge and the new Cascade Badge to her from the inside of his vest. "Wow, you got your second Badge? That's great sweetie!"

"Mom, I'm home!" a voice called from off screen.

"Oh Bryan, come quick, Matt's on the phone. Don't you want to talk to your big brother and see how he's doing?" his mother asked.

"No." Bryan said bluntly and walked passed the screen.

"Well, that was nice." Matt said with a laugh.

"Don't worry about Bryan. He's been like that ever since you left on your Pokemon Journey. I think he's jealous, but one day he will get to go too." she said.

"Well, I'll talk to you later Mom. I guess I'll be heading to Saffron now, there is supposed to be a Gym there." he said.

"Okay sweetheart. I'll talk to you later." she said and the screen turned black.

After the Pokemon Center nurse healed Matt's Pokemon, Matt left the Center and started traveling South, down Route 5 towards the city of Saffron.


	17. A Rocket Powered Thirst

Outside of Pallet Town

Chapter Seventeen: A Rocket Powered Thirst

After defeating Misty, the Gym Leader of Cerulean City, Matt headed South towards Saffron City where he hoped to gain a third Badge. "Let's see, Bulbasaur has a great Vine Whip, Raticate has Hyper Fang and Bide, Pikachu has ThunderShock, Beedrill has Twineedle and Fury Attack, and Krabby has Bubble, ViceGrip and Guillotine. I don't know what to do with Magikarp." Matt said to himself while walking down Route 5. "I know that if I train it hard it will evolve into a Gyarados, but if all it can do is Splash, then I don't know how to even train it." he said. "I know!" he said and tossed Magikarp's PokeBall into the air.

"Karp karp, Magikarp!" the Fish Pokemon said, flopping on the ground in front of Matt.

"Okay Magikarp, let's teach you a new move." Matt said, taking out the Technical Machine Brock had given him and the TM11 he had received from Misty. He placed the cube over Magikarp and put the CD into the slot.

"Not Compatible." the Technical Machine said in a voice that was somewhat similar to Matt's PokeDex.

"Not compatible? So Magikarp can't learn BubbleBeam?" Matt asked himself and then returned the Pokemon back to its pocket. "Well that sucks. If I can't teach Magikarp a better move than Splash, how am I supposed to train it?" he asked. "Well, as long as I have this TM, I should use it. Go Krabby!"

"Kuri kuri!" Krabby said as it appeared from its PokeBall.

"Alright, Krabby hold still." he said and placed the cube above its head. The box began to glow and then Krabby's eyes as well. After the glowing had faded away, the disk popped out of the machine and turned into a blue dust. "Did it work? Let's try it out, Krabby, use BubbleBeam!" he commanded.

"Kurib!" Krabby cried and shot a spray of bubbles from its claws. This spray was much more powerful than its Bubble attack.

"That's great Krabby." Matt said and put Krabby back into its PokeBall. "Hopefully that will come in handy at the Saffron City Gym." he said and then continued his way down Route 5.

"Ratta rat rat ratta!" a voice called from up ahead.

"Pwoo pwow!" another voice called.

Matt ran up the road as fast as he could and found a small cottage sitting on the side of the road. The cottage had a fence surrounding it on all sides, and over a dozen small Pokemon played happily inside. "Buttafreeee!" a Butterfree cried as it flew by Matt's face.

"Th-they don't look like wild Pokemon." Matt said and approached the gate.

"That would be because they're not wild." a voice said to Matt from behind him. Matt spun around to see an old man standing behind him, holding himself up with a PokeBall design cane. "Hello there young man, my name is Mr. Alvin, and I run this here Pokemon Daycare." the man said and opened the gate. A ground of Rattata and Pidgey ran to his feet. "Oh calm down little ones. I'll get your food here in a moment."

"P-Pokemon Daycare?" Matt asked.

"Yes, this is a Pokemon Daycare. Trainers leave their Pokemon here for me to raise for them. Its usually just Rattata, Pidgey, Geodude, or other low level Pokemon. I do get the occasional Clefairy or Scyther thought." the man said. "If you would like use of my services, please follow me into my cottage." the man said and Matt followed him into the small house.

Matt walked into the house and saw that it was full of canned Pokemon food, Potions, Antidotes, and everything needed to keep a Pokemon healthy. There was a Pikachu and Raticate sitting on the floor watching Mr. Alvin's television. "Th-this is nice. You have everything a trainer needs in here."

"Well I have to with all of these Pokemon coming and going. Sometimes the Pokemon like to get into battles to become stronger for their trainers, and end of getting injured. If that happens, I like having all of the necessities here so I don't have to run all the way to Cerulean or Saffron to get to a Pokemon Center." Mr. Alvin said and ruffled the fur on the Raticate's head. "Why don't you two run outside and get some exercise?" he asked them and the two Pokemon ran out the door. "I forgot to ask your name young man."

"M-my name is Matthew." Matt said.

"Okay Matthew, would you like me to raise one of your Pokemon for you?" Mr. Alvin asked.

"Raise... my Pokemon?" Matt asked and immediately thought about his Magikarp. "Awhile ago I was tricked into buying Magikarp from a salesman. He said it was a good deal and that it was a powerful Pokemon, but it only knows Splash."

"Oh yes, I get plenty of trainers that come here and tell me that same story. I'm sure there is plenty of room in my pond for your Magikarp to swim freely. If you leave it with me, I promise that it will be much stronger when you come back for it. All I ask of you is ¥500 for the labor that I put into it." Mr. Alvin explained.

"Only ¥500? Well... Magikarp could really use some training. If it could evolve into a Gyarados,... then it would be much stronger." Matt said, thinking it over. "I think it would be best if I left Magikarp with you." he said and handed the old man Magikarp's PokeBall and the money.

"Very good, next time you stop by, just pick up your Magikarp and it should be much str-" the man started to say before he was interrupted by a large explosion that came from underneath his feet. Mr. Alvin flew backwards, thankfully landing on a soft couch. "Wh-what's the meaning of this?" he asked.

Matt watched in horror as dust began to fill the room. When the dust cleared, he could see fully what had caused the disturbance. "It's a Parasect!" he called.

"Parasect, the Mushroom Pokemon. It is the evolved form of Paras. A host-parasite pair in which the parasite mushroom has taken over the host bug. Prefers damp places." the PokeDex stated.

"Well, that's a nifty little device you have there." a man said. He was climbing out of the hole in the floor that Parasect had dug to get into the cottage. The man was wearing an all black uniform with a red letter "R" on the front of his jacket. Matt instantly recognized what that meant.

"You're from Team Rocket!" Mr. Alvin cried.

"Wh-what d-do you want?" Matt asked.

"Why, I'm going to take all of these Daycare Pokemon of course." the Team Rocket thug said with a nasty grin.

"Y-you can't do that!" Mr. Alvin cried.

"Parasect, take care of this old man and the brat!" the thug commanded and Parasect jumped at Mr. Alvin.

"G-go Beedrill!" Matt said, tossing his PokeBall. Beedrill appeared in a flash of light, ready to fight for its trainer. "Use Poison Sting!"

"Paraaaa!" Parasect cried as it was stung by a barrage of poison needles.

"Parasect, use Scratch!" Parasect's master commanded and the Bug and Grass Pokemon lunged at Beedrill, trying to scratch it with its claw.

"D-dodge it Beedrill, and use Fury Attack!" Matt commanded and Beedrill dodged to the left, and then flew down at Parasect, jabbing it with its spears.

"Palasecttt!" Parasect cried.

"Dammit! Parasect, use Stun Spore!" the thug commanded of his Pokemon. Parasect began to shake its mushroom violently, releasing a yellow dust from underneath.

"Pidgey, use Whirlwind!" Mr. Alvin called and a Pidgey flew in from the outside through an open window and began to flap its wings ferociously. The Tiny Bird Pokemon's power blew the paralyzing spores away from Beedrill.

"Beedrill, use Fury Attack again!" Matt commanded. Parasect was hit with another series of powerful jabs from Beedrill's two front stingers.

"Parasect, use Solar Beam!" Team Rocket commanded and the mushroom on Parasect's back began to glow brightly. "You're in for it now brat!" he screamed.

"Hurry up, it takes a while for a Solar Beam to charge!" Mr. Alvin said to Matt.

"Wh-what?" Matt asked.

"Solar Beam is an attack that allows the user to draw in sunlight and focus it into one powerful beam of energy. It takes awhile for that energy to be collected, especially since it is attacking from inside of my house!" the old man explained.

"R-right! Twineedle Beedrill!" Matt commanded and Beedrill stuck the Parasect twice with its powerful spears.

"Sect!" Parasect cried and continued to draw in sunlight from the rays flowing in through the windows.

"Pidgey, Rattata, cover up those windows!" Mr. Alvin called and the Pokemon from the outside flooded into the house and covered the windows with their bodies.

"Sect?" Parasect said, wondering why it could no longer absorb sunlight.

"Dammit! Forget the Solar Beam, just attack it with Skull Bash!" the thug screamed and Parasect lowered its head.

"Now Beedrill, use Twineedle again!" Matt shouted and Beedrill flew down at the Parasect at an incredible speed, piercing through the Pokemon's mushroom with its spears, causing critical damage.

"Shit, no Parasect!" the thug cried after he saw his Pokemon faint at his feet. "That was my only fucking Pokemon too! Damn, I'll have to get you next time old man!" he said and ran out of the cottage, kicking the door open on his way out.

"No you don't, Beedrill get him!" Matt said, and Beedrill flew at the thug, its spears ready to attack!"

"You're not gonna catch me!" he said and threw a small, black ball to the ground. The ball exploded and he became shrouded in a cloud of black smoke. When the smoke cleared, the thug was gone.

"Damn that Team Rocket. They're always trying to steal Pokemon from weak trainers. Thanks to you, none of the Pokemon left to me have been taken. Thank you Matthew." Mr. Alvin said.

"N-no problem." Matt said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Oh, what's this?" he asked and walked over to where the Rocket thug had disappeared. "Why it's a TM. It's TM28 Dig. That thug must've stolen it." Mr. Alvin said and handed Matt the disk. "You'll probably put it to better use than I would."

"Thank you Mr. Alvin." Matt said. "I really should probably get going. I want to get to Saffron City before night falls. I'll be back for Magikarp soon." he said and started walking back down the road.

"No problem, just stop on by whenever you want!" he said to Matt, waving to him as he walked down the road. "You know you're welcome to rest here at anytime. I really can't thank you enough for what you did for me today."

"You're welcome Mister!" Matt called back.

"Bye bye now!" the old called just as Matt disappeared from his sight.

"Okay... great. Now I only have five Pokemon. How am I going to beat the Gym Leader now. Before I had six Pokemon to choose from..." Matt said as he walked down the road. Soon, a great bronze wall came into view and Matt ran up to it. He entered the gate house and walked up to the man behind the counter. "Ex-excuse me. Is th-this the gate to S-Saffron City?" he asked the man.

"Yes it is, but it is closed at the moment. Sorry." the man said, and tipped a bottle of water over his tongue. "Damn this sucks. I've been stuck in this booth for over a week now and my boss never gives me enough water."

"Wh-what do you mean closed? I need to get in to challenge the Gym." Matt said.

"Sorry kid, there's been... some problems in the city. No one's allowed to go in or out. Maybe you should just come back later.

"Y-you're s-serious?" Matt asked.

"I'm afraid so kid. God am I thirsty." the man said. "You could always take the Underground Path to Route 6. That should then take you to Vermillion City. If I'm correct, there should be a Gym there as well. Just head about half a mile East of here." he said and Matt left the gate house.

"Vermillion City. That's where the Kanto Harbor is. Maybe I could find a bunch of Water Pokemon to catch there, or maybe there's another Water Type Gym there." he said and started walking in the direction that the gatekeeper had said.

"I really wish that I had another Pokemon. A Fire Type would be nice, or maybe a Psychic Pokemon, or even a Fighting Type. I really need to expand my team. Kayne already has so many Pokemon, and I bet he's got one of almost every Type. He might even have a Dragon Pokemon, or even a super powered Gyarados." Matt said to himself walking up the path to where the man had said the Underground Path was. "How am I ever going to beat him if I don't have a good variety of Pokemon. It was probably just a fluke that I beat Jenny in the first place."

"Abraaaa..." Matt heard a snoring noise coming from a patch of tall grass up ahead. He ran up to it quietly, and then parted the grass, peering into it.

"An Abra!" Matt exclaimed, taking out his PokeDex. "Sh-should I try to catch it?" he thought to himself as he opened up the device and aimed the camera at the Psychic Type Pokemon. Abra was sleeping soundly with its back up against a tree. It gave quick, little snoring sounds as it breathed.

"Abra, the Psi Pokemon. Using its ability to read minds, it will sense impending danger and teleport to safety." the PokeDex said.

"Cool, but I don't want to wake it up. I don't want it to teleport away." he said, and pulled a fresh PokeBall from his bag. "Here it goes. Go PokeBall!" he said, tossing the PokeBall at the Abra. The ball was just about to hit the Pokemon, when all the sudden Abra vanished. "Wh-where'd it go?"

"Braaaa." Matt heard another snore come from behind him. He turned and saw that the sleeping Pokemon had teleported to his rear, so he picked up the PokeBall and tossed it again. Once again the Pokemon teleported away, this time, back to the tree where Matt had found it.

"Th-this is getting annoying. Go Bulbasaur!" Matt commanded and released Bulbasaur from its PokeBall.

"Bulbasaur!" Bulbasaur said upon its entrance.

"Bulbasaur, use Tackle!" Matt commanded and Bulbasaur charged at the Abra. Abra used Teleport, and vanished, causing Bulbasaur to slam into the tree.

"S-saur!" Bulbasaur cried.

"It's behind you Bulbasaur! Use Tackle again!" he called and Bulbasaur charged at the Abra again, but the attack missed as Abra teleported, once again.

"Ahhhhh.!" Abra yawned.

"Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip quick, don't let it escape this time!" Matt commanded and Bulbasaur wrapped its vines around Abra's body. "Great! Get ready for a PokeBall!" he said, tossing it at the Abra. Abra was turned into a red energy once the ball touched its body, and then sucked into the PokeBall. The ball began to roll back and forth on the ground, until it made a clicking noise, and Matt had captured the Abra. "Y-yes! W-we did it Bulbasaur! We caught Abra!" Matt exclaimed.

"Bulba bulbasaur!" Bulbasaur cheered.

Now Matthew has six Pokemon in his party once again, and is is on his way to the city of Vermillion. Unfortunately, he has went from having a Magikarp that only knows one move to an Abra that only knows one move. Can he work more with this Abra? How will things work out in the Vermillion Gym?


	18. A Construction Man in a Chokehold

Outside of Pallet Town

Chapter Eighteen: A Construction Man in a Choke-hold

"Fresh air!" Matt shouted as he climbed out of the Underground Path. It had taken him a little less than two days to travel the distance of the tunnel. "I wish it was day out though, some sunlight would've been nice." he said, looking up at the crescent moon.

Route 6 looked beautiful under the moonlight. The tall grass glistened as the light reflected off of the dew, the sounds of sleeping and nocturnal Pokemon filled the air. Matt had missed all of this in the time he spent down in the tunnel, the only interactions he had down there was with his Pokemon, the few times they wanted to come out.

"Alright, hurry it along. We need this stuff at the sight pronto. Ya hear me? Pronto!" a man shouted. He was marching down the path towards the city, following him was a trio of Machop.

"Machop, the Superpower Pokemon. Loves to build its muscles. It trains in all styles of martial arts to become stronger." the PokeDex said in an electronic voice.

"Don't you know the meaning of hurry up?" the man called to the Machop in the back of the group. "What am I going to do with you?" he asked. "Oh, excuse me young man." the man said and Matt backed up out of his way.

"Wh-what are these Machop carrying?" Matt asked the man, noticing the heavy loads the Fighting Pokemon were carrying over their heads.

"Just some materials for a construction site. These Machop are supposed to be helping with the construction, but that one on the end is just too weak for the job." the man said. "My names Clarence." he said, holding out his hand.

"I'm M-Matt." he said, shaking the mans hand.

"Well, that's a nice grip there Matt. Maybe you could help me more than this Machop." Clarence said with a chuckle. "I would pay you handsomely too."

"I r-really doubt I could do more than a Machop. I'm not th-that strong." Matt said, embarrassed of his thin arms.

"Don't worry kid, I was only joking. There's no way a kid could out muscle a Machop, but there's still something wrong with this one." he said, looking to the one in the back.

"What's wr-wrong with it?" Matt asked.

"There's nothing physically different about it, but it's just weaker than the other two. When I captured the first two Machop, they were as strong as I figured a Machop should be, but that third one... I don't know about it. Maybe its defective or something." Clarence said.

"Or m-maybe it is just at lower level..." Matt said.

"Lower... level?" Clarence asked. "Well,... I've never thought of that. If that's all that is, then all it would need to do is battle." he said, and then looked down at the weaker Machop. "I've never really battled with my Machop before, so I never tested how strong they really were."

"W-would you like to battle my Pokemon? That way Machop could gain some levels." Matt suggested.

"That would be a great idea. Let's head into town first thought so I can get my other two Machop working on the site." Clarence said. "Let's head out Machop!" he shouted and started marching towards Vermilion City, the three Machop followed him in a perfectly straight line.

Vermilion City was a bustling, harbor town, with ships coming and going at each dock. Most of the cities houses had red tile roofs, similar to the standard color present on most Pokemon Centers. "Hey, were have you been Clarence? We've been waiting on your Machop!" a man called to Clarence. He was carrying a large metal beam over his shoulder, assisted by another man trailing behind him.

"Oh its this Machop. I still can't get it to do enough work. This trainer here suggested that it might just be because that its at a lower level than the other two." Clarence answered, walking up to the construction site.

"Really? Huh, that would make sense. So what are you going to do about it?" the man asked.

"This kid here said that he would let me battle him. Maybe it will be enough to toughen it out a little." Clarence said with a chuckle. "Okay Matt, are you ready?" he asked.

"Y-yeah. I want to try and use my Abra. I just caught it, and I'm not quite sure what it can do yet. I'm hoping to use it against the Vermilion City Gym Leader." Matt said, pulling Abra's PokeBall from his belt.

"Abra huh? Well Psychic Pokemon are supposed to be strong against fighting, but if you just caught it, I'm not sure what it can do against my Machop." Clarence said.

"B-but if you just caught Machop too, then how do you know what it can do?" Matt asked.

"There is a difference between Machop and Abra. You'll see soon enough." Clarence said. "Okay Machop, get ready to battle!" he said, and the weaker Machop ran in front of its master.

"G-go A-Abra!" Matt shouted, tossing his PokeBall into the air. Abra appeared in a blinding flash of light.

"How about we set a bet, ya know, make it like a real battle." Clarence suggested. "Does ¥300 sound good?" he asked.

"¥300 sounds just f-fine." Matt said.

"Great, so who get's to make the first move?" Clarence asked.

"I-I guess it would be okay if you went first." Matt answered.

"Great! Okay Machop let's get moving! I think we should use Karate Chop!" Clarence called, and Machop jumped up into the air, swinging its arm back, ready to chop down on Abra.

"Abra, dodge it!" Matt commanded, but Abra did nothing.

"Braaa!" Abra cried as Machop executed a perfect Karate Chop right on the Psychic Pokemon's head. "Brah brah..." it panted.

"Wh-why didn't you dodge?" Matt asked his Pokemon.

"In a battle, the only thing that an Abra can do is teleport. Unfortunately, for some reason, it is unable to teleport during a trainer battle." Clarence said.

"S-so I c-can't do anything?" Matt asked.

"Another Karate Chop!" Clarence commanded and Abra was struck with another attack.

"Abraaah..." Abra said, and fainted.

"Abra... return." Matt said, calling his Pokemon back.

"I probably shouldn't have done that. You didn't know how to use Abra yet, and I really didn't give you a chance. Since Machop gained a little experience from that battle, I don't see why we should keep the bet. Go ahead and keep your money." Clarence said.

"N-no... I lost. I owe you the money." Matt said, pulling the ¥300 out of his pocket.

"Please, keep it. Thank you for the battle, but I don't think it did very much for Machop." Clarence said, pushing Matt's hand down.

"N-no, please take it." Matt said.

"I'll tell you what. How about we have another battle. Machop wasn't damaged and barely used any energy, so it should be okay." Clarence said. "This time whoever wins gets the ¥300."

"Th-that sounds r-reasonable." Matt said and took out his next Pokemon. "Now who should I use?" he thought to himself. "Raticate is at a severe disadvantage to Fighting Pokemon, and Bulbasaur and Beedrill are strong against them." he thought. "Go Beedrill!" he said and tossed his PokeBall.

"Spee speee!" Beedrill cried upon its entrance.

"I'll let you take the first move." Clarence said.

"Okay! Beedrill, use Fury Attack!" Matt commanded and Beedrill flew down at Machop, jabbing at it with its sharp spears.

"Mahchaaa!" Machop cried.

"Machop, use Mega Punch!" Clarence called and Machop jumped into the air and then slugged Beedrill with a glowing fist.

"Speaaaaa!" Beedrill cried.

"Beedrill, use Poison Sting!" Matt called and Beedrill released a spray of poison needles at Machop.

"Dodge it Machop!" Clarence called and Machop jumped out of the way. The Poison Sting struck the ground right behind the Fighting Pokemon. "Now use Karate Chop!" he shouted and Machop slammed the side of its palm down on top of Beedrill's head.

"S-sp-spee!" Beedrill cried.

"No Beedrill!" Matt called to his Pokemon as it fell to the ground.

"Sp-spee..." Beedrill said as it slowly picked itself up off the ground.

"I guess you're not so weak after all Machop." Clarence said with a laugh.

"Maahh!" Machop said, smiling back at its master.

"Okay, let's use Mega Punch again!" Clarence commanded and Beedrill was hit with another powerful, glowing punch.

"B-Beedrill, use Twineedle!" Matt commanded and Beedrill jabbed Machop twice with its powerful stingers.

"Ch-chop!" Machop cried.

"Oh no, Machop!" Clarence called to his Pokemon. "Y-you can do it. You can pull through!" he encouraged his Pokemon.

"M-maa ch-chop..." Machop said, climbing to its feet, holding its right shoulder.

"I knew you could go farther! Machop, use Mega Punch!" the construction man shouted and Machop swung a glowing fist at Beedrill, striking it in its abdomen.

"Spear!" Beedrill cried and fell to the ground. Its wings buzzed for an instant, and then the Pokemon passed out.

"Beedrill return." Matt said, calling his Pokemon back into its PokeBall. "You did really well. Thank you Beedrill." he said and placed the ball back on his belt. "Well, here is the money." he said and handed Clarence the money.

"Thank you Matt." he said, and then turned to Machop. "You were great in that battle Machop, and I bet you gained a lot of experience points, didn't you?" Clarence asked his Pokemon.

"Chaap!" Machop said with a smile, and then it began to glow with a white light.

"Wh-what's going on?" Clarence asked, looking from his glowing Machop to Matt, and then back.

"I th-think its ev-evolving!" Matt exclaimed, staring at the Machop as it began to grow.

"Maahchoke!" the newly evolved Pokemon cried, flexing its massive muscles.

"M-Machop, you evolved into a Machoke!" Clarence cried.

"Choke, machoke!" Machoke said, smiling with its new face.

"Machoke, the Superpower Pokemon. Its muscular body is so powerful, it must wear a power-save belt to be able to regulate its motions." the PokeDex stated

"I can't thank you enough Matt. This is just incredible. With Machoke's strength, we should be able to finish this building twice as fast." Clarence said, shaking Matt's hand with a crushing grip.

"Y-your w-welcome." Matt said, trying not to wince at the pain from his hand being crushed.

"Hey, I know, take this." Clarence said, pulling a piece of paper from his pocket. "This is a ticket for a cruise aboard the S.S. Anne. I can't go since I have to work, but maybe you can take a vacation from training and go in my place." he said, handing Matt the ticket.

"Th-thank you, but I can't go either. I came to Vermilion City so I could challenge the Gym Leader." Matt explained.

"Well, the ship will be docked in Vermilion for a few days, so why don't you just go after your Gym battle. It'll take you all over Nipponji, to all the major port cities like Slateport, Olivine, and all the others." Clarence said, and placed the ticket in Matt's hand.

"I... I don't know if I'll make it though... What if it takes me longer to get the Badge?" he asked.

"Don't worry about it. I won that ticket in a contest, so I won't be out of any money." Clarence said. "Just have fun." he said, and patted Matt on the shoulder.

"Thanks sir!" Matt said and ran off towards the Pokemon Center, with the ticket in his hand.

Several hours later, Matt walked out of the Vermilion City Pokemon Center, and took a deep breath. "Alright, now I'm ready to get my third Badge!" he said, and ran off towards the Gym. There had been a map of the city inside of the Pokemon Center.

"W-wait, h-how am I s-supposed t-to get in?" Matt asked as he walked up to a thick wall made of vines and trees. "Entrance requires HM01." he said, reading the sign beside the vines. "HM01?" he asked.

"It means you need to cut the vines down with a Pokemon move." an older woman said after approaching him.

"C-cut them down with a move?" Matt asked.

"Yes, you need to teach your Pokemon the Hidden Move Cut to get into the Gym." the older woman said.

"Hidden Move?" Matt asked.

"It's a TM, but it is only given to trainers of a certain level. Also, HM can be used multiple times." she said.

"R-really? What level do you have to be?" Matt asked. "And where do I get it?"

"I'm not really sure about the level, but I think there is a man that gives it out in Saffron City." the woman said.

"S-Saffron? That sucks, the roads closed to Saffron City, so I can't get there." Matt said, and looked to the ground.

"Sorry I couldn't be of more help sonny." the woman said and walked away.

"Th-that means I can't challenge this Gym..." Matt said, suddenly depressed. "Well, I guess that a little cruise around the country never hurt anyone." he said and walked off towards Vermilion Harbor.


	19. A Lucky Case of Seasickness

Outside of Pallet Town

Chapter Nineteen: A Lucky Case of Seasickness

The S.S. Anne was the largest ship that Matt had ever seen. He already been on the ship for a little over three days now, and still he had not been to all parts of the ship. "This is nice, isn't it Bulbasaur?" he asked his Pokemon as they laid out under the sun on the ships deck.

"Saur!" Bulbasaur said, almost smiling.

"Braah..." Abra snored, sleeping against Matt's lounge chair.

"I wonder how the other four are doing?" Matt thought to himself. The S.S. Anne offered many activities for Pokemon, so Matt had left them at an activity that suited them. He had left Krabby at the wave-pool, Beedrill in the fencing arena, Pikachu in the ship's power room, and Raticate in the gnawing room where it could chew on anything it liked. Bulbasaur, being a Grass Type, preferred to just lay out in the sun, and Abra just wanted to nap all day. "This will be fun, I think. I've barely left Pallet Town in my whole life, and now I get to see the whole coast of Nipponji!" he said to Bulbasaur.

"Bulba!" Bulbasaur said cheerfully.

"We should be leaving soon though, in fact, I think we're running late." Matt said, scratching his eyebrow. "Ex-excuse m-me sir. D-do you know when we might be leaving?" he asked a man dressing in a white and blue sailor's suit as he walked by.

"Haven't you heard? The captain is seasick, and we can't leave because he can't stop vomiting. It's quite sad, a sea captain with seasickness." the man said, shaking his head. "So I don't know when we'll set off." he said, and walked off, still shaking his head.

"S-seasickness?" Matt asked, and suddenly his face lit up. "Return Bulbasaur and Abra! I know just what to do!" he said, jumping up from the lounge chair, and started running in the direction of the captain's cabin. Matt remembered a time when he was seven years old, where Professor Oak had taken Kayne and him on a boat ride to research Water Pokemon living around Pallet Town. Matt had became very seasick, and Professor Oak gave him a backrub that made him feel better.

"Ooof!" the two boys said in unison as they collided .

"Why don't you watch where the hell you're running!" the other boy shouted. His voice sounded very familiar.

"S-s-sorry, I was jus-" Matt apologized as he helped the other boy to his feet. "Kayne!" he shouted, realizing who he had just ran into. "Wh-what are y-you d-doing here?"

"Probably the same thing you are. The road to Saffron City was closed, so I came to Vermilion, but I can't get into the Gym without Cut. So I-" Kayne started to explain.

"So y-you're going to take a vacation?" Matt asked.

"No! I came aboard to get the Hidden Move from the ship's captain." Kayne said. "Don't interrupt me!"

"H-Hidden M-Move?" Matt asked. "Y-you d-don't mean Cut d-do you?"

"Well of course I do! I wouldn't be caught dead on a lame-ass ship like this if I had any other options." Kayne said.

"S-so the captain has Cut... Sorry for bumping into y-you Kayne. I'm going to go see the captain now." Matt said, and tried to walk past Kayne.

"Ah ah ah, not so fast. I want to battle." Kayne said, pushing Matt back.

"B-battle?" Matt asked, a lump forming in his throat. "Oh yeah, I c-can't. My P-Pokemon are all d-doing activities."

"So? Go get them and meet me back here." Kayne said. "You're not getting by me to see the captain until we have a battle!"

"Oh... kay." Matt said and turned around. He ran back down the hallway, and then to all the parts of the ship where he had left his Pokemon.

Fifteen minutes later Matt returned to where he had left Kayne, with the other four Pokemon. "It's about time. You've left me waiting here for hours!"

"Act-actually its only been a few min-" Matt attempted to say.

"Whatever, let's battle!" Kayne said, pulling a PokeBall from his belt. "We'll each use three Pokemon, and the bet will be set at ¥200. I'll send my Pokemon out first, maybe you'll get lucky with an advantage." he said, and tossed his PokeBall into the air. "Go Drowzee!"

"Drowseeeee!" the yellow and brown, Psychic Pokemon cried.

"Drowzee, the Hypnosis Pokemon. Puts enemies to sleep and then eats their dreams. It occasionally gets sick from eating bad dreams." Matt's PokeDex said in an electronic voice.

"Go Krabby!" Matt shouted, tossing his PokeBall into the air.

"Kurib!" Krabby cried as it appeared from its pocket.

"A Krabby huh?" Kayne said, checking the River Crab's PokeDex data. "Okay then, you make the first move."

"R-right... Krabby, use Guillotine!" Matt commanded and Krabby lunged at Drowzee with a glowing, blue claw.

"Dodge it Drowzee, and then use Disable!" Kayne shouted and Drowzee jumped to its left, and then started to emit a blue light from its hands.

"Ku-kurib?" Krabby said, as its body began to glow with the same, faint blue light. Drowzee's Disable had made it so Krabby could not use the move for a few turns.

"D-darn. Krabby, use ViceGrip!" Matt commanded and Krabby grabbed at Drowzee with its powerful claws.

"Drowwww!" Drowzee cried.

"Drowzee, use Headbutt!" Kayne commanded and Drowzee lowered its head and jumped at Krabby, slamming its head into the Water Type.

"Krabby, u-use BubbleBeam!" Matt called and Drowzee was hit with a powerful spray of bubbles.

"Drowzee, use Hypnosis!" Kayne shouted.

"Drow... drow... drow..." Drowzee said, moving its hands in a circular pattern.

"Kuriii... kuriiii... kuriiiii..." Krabby said, and then fell over, fast asleep.

"Oh no, Krabby! Wake up!" Matt called to his Pokemon. From what the PokeDex said, Matt knew that it was especially bad for a Pokemon to fall asleep when battling a Drowzee.

"Now Drowzee, finish it with Dream Eater!" Kayne shouted and a purple light shot from Krabby's body to Drowzee's mouth.

"Kuriiib!" Krabby said, waking up momentarily, and then fainting.

"Kr-Krabby,... return..." Matt said, calling his Pokemon back to its PokeBall. "Go Pikachu!" he said, sending out his second Pokemon.

"Pika!" Pikachu squeaked as it exited its PokeBall.

"Pikachu, use ThunderShock!" Matt commanded and Pikachu sent a bolt of electricity at Kayne's Pokemon.

"Dr-drow!" Drowzee moaned.

"Drowzee, use Pound!" Kayne commanded and Drowzee slapped Pikachu in the face with one of its hands.

"Dr-drowz-zee!" Drowzee groaned as sparks of electricity flew from its body.

"No! The ThunderShock must've paralyzed it! Damn!" Kayne said, stomping his foot.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Matt commanded and Pikachu ran at the Drowzee at an incredible speed, and slammed hard into the Psychic Pokemon.

"Drowseee..." Drowzee said and fell over.

"Drowzee, return." Kayne said, pulling his Pokemon back. "Let's go Geodude!"

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Matt commanded and Pikachu slammed into the Rock Pokemon at a super speed, but did virtually nothing."

"Geodude, use Rock Throw!" Kayne commanded and Geodude tossed a rock that it created at Pikachu.

"Pika chuu!" Pikachu cried.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack again!" Matt commanded, but instead of using the lightning fast attack, Pikachu slammed its tail into Geodude, knocking it back a bit. "Th-that was slam! Pikachu learned Slam!"

"It's not like Slam is going to do much against my Geodude. Now use Take Down!" Kayne shouted, and Geodude slammed its body down on Pikachu.

"Pi..." Pikachu said and then collapsed.

"Pikachu... return..." Matt said, calling back his second Pokemon. "Great, now I only have one Pokemon left. I could use Bulbasaur because it has an advantage against Geodude, but if he uses Charmander, I'm screwed. I couldn't use Beedrill because it would be weak against both of them, and Abra can't use any attacks in battle." he thought to himself, trying to figure out which Pokemon to use. "I guess... I'll go with Bulbasaur!"

"Nice choice. It looks like Bulbasaur's gotten a lot stronger since I saw it last." Kayne said grinning. "Geodude, use Take Down!"

"Dodge it Bulbasaur, and use Vine Whip!" Matt commanded.

"Sa!" Bulbasaur said, jumping out of the way and then smacking Geodude in the face with one of its vines.

"Geo... dude..." Geodude said, fainting.

"Come back." Kayne said with a smile. "You've beaten two of my Pokemon. Good for you. Too bad it ends here. Go Charmeleon!" he said, tossing his third PokeBall into the air.

"Charmeleon, the Flame Pokemon. It is the evolved form of Charmander. When it swings its burning tail, it elevates the temperature to unbearably high levels." Matt's PokeDex stated.

"Ch-Ch-Charmeleon? Ch-Charmander evolved?" Matt asked.

"No, I just found a wild Charmeleon wandering Mt. Moon. Of course it evolved dumbass! Now Charmeleon, use Rage!" Kayne commanded.

"Meleo!" Charmeleon's eyes began to glow red, and it charged at Bulbasaur, slashing at the Grass Pokemon with its sharp claws.

"Bulbasaur, use Leech Seed!" Matt commanded and Bulbasaur shot a seed from its bulb at Charmeleon.

"Dodge it Charmeleon, and use Ember!" Kayne shouted, and Charmeleon swung it fiery tail back and forth, sending red-hot flames at Bulbasaur, and incinerating the Leech Seed.

"Baaall!" Bulbasaur cried as the flames kissed is skin.

"Use Vine Whip!" Matt commanded and Bulbasaur slapped Charmeleon in the chest area with its vines.

"Charharhar!" Charmeleon laughed to show it felt no pain from the attack.

"Enough of this pathetic battle. Charmeleon, use Ember!" Kayne shouted at the top of his lungs, and Charmeleon sent a shower of sparks down on top of Bulbasaur, doing enormous damage to Matt's Pokemon.

"No Bulbasaur!" Matt called.

"Bulb... ba..." the Seed Pokemon said and fainted.

"R-return." Matt said, bringing his Pokemon back and then pulling the ¥200 from his pocket. "Here. Th-thank you f-for a g-good battle." he said, trying to hold back the tears.

"If you can call that a good battle. I'm outta here." Kayne said, and put Charmeleon back in its PokeBall. "If you want the HM01, the captain's cabin is right behind you." he said and left Matt.

"I... lost to him again." Matt said, and then looked down at his chest, which held his two Badges. "So what if I lost to Kayne. I'll get another chance to show him what I'm made of!" he said and walked to the captains cabin.

"Wh-who's there?" a sickly voice called from inside after Matt had knocked on the door..

"My n-name's Matthew Crimson. I'm a trainer and I was wondering if you could please give me HM01?" Matt said.

"Another one for Cut huh. Alright,... come in." the captain said and Matt entered the room. He passed a waste basket, and, not really meaning to, looked inside. He regretted doing so. "Okay..., here it is." the man said, handing Matt a CD, which seemed to be slightly thicker than the other TM CDs he had seen.

"S-sir, you don't look so well." Matt said. "If you would like, I think I know of a way to cure your seasickness." Matt said.

After a five minute back massage, the S.S. Anne's captain stood up from his chair, and started to laugh. "How pathetic am I? A sea captain that gets seasick?" he laughed. "Well thank you young man. Now I know what to do if this ever happens again. So, I guess we can set sail now." he said. "For getting me through my seasickness, how about I treat you to a free buffet for your entire cruise?"

"Sorry sir, but now that I have Cut, I can get into the Vermilion Gym. That's what I'm going to do next." Matt said, looking down at the HM. "Well, see ya. And thanks for the HM!" he said, running back down the hall.

"No problem youngin'. And I wish you good luck against Surge!" the captain called to him.


	20. The Electric Soldier of Amirika

Outside of Pallet Town

Chapter Twenty: The Electric Soldier of Amirika

"Go Bulbasaur!" Matt said, sending his dual Grass and Poison Pokemon from its PokeBall. "Alright, hold still Bulbasaur." he said, holding the Technical Machine over its head.

"_HM01 requires a certain Badge to teach this move. Please place the Gym Badge in the machine_." the machine said and displayed a list of Gym Badges on its screen. Matt saw the Cascade Badge on the list, and then did as it said. He then inserted the disk, and Bulbasaur's eyes shone with a white light.

"Bulba!" Bulbasaur said. The HM01 then ejected from the machine. Unlike the TMs Matt had use, the disk did not disintegrate upon use.

"Great, now you know Cut Bulbasaur!" he said, and then turned towards the thick vines which blocked his entrance to the Vermilion Gym. "Bulbasaur, use Cut!" Matt commanded Bulbasaur slashed at the vines with its own vine, severing the wall and creating a hole wide enough for Matt to walk through. "Thanks Bulbasaur. Return." he said, returning is Pokemon and then stepped through the opening.

"Tangaaa!" a small, teal Pokemon cried as Matt stepped through the vine wall. The Tangela shot its vines at the wall instantly repairing what Matt had destroyed.

"Oh, so that's how the vines get back after someone's used Cut." he said and took out the PokeDex.

"_Tangela, the Vine Pokemon. The whole body is swathed in wild vines that are similar to seaweed. The vines sway as its walks_." Matt's PokeDex stated in a computerized voice.

"Cool." he said, leaving the Pokemon to do his job, and he walked up to the Gym.

"Welcome to the Vermilion Gym. Are you here for a battle with the Gym Leader?" a woman asked Matt as he walked through the sliding glass door. On the wall behind the woman, Matt could see Kayne's name displayed to show his victory.

"Y-yes m-ma'am." he said. "My name is Matthew Crimson, and I'm a Level Two trainer." Matt said, and registered for the Gym.

"Okay then, the Lieutenant will be waiting in the arena." the woman said.

"Lieutenant?" Matt asked.

"Yes, Lt. Surge. He is a former soldier in the Amirikan army." she said.

"H-he's from Amirika?" Matt asked.

"Yup. If you are ready, just go on ahead." she said, and lead Matt to the arena.

"Welcome to the Vermilion Gym!" A tall, blonde man standing at the other end of the battle field said when Matt walked into the arena. He was wearing an old, worn, green military jacket, and dark sunglasses. "My name is Surge, but most people just call me the Lightning Amirikan." Surge said, introducing himself.

Matt looked around, and noticed that the bleachers were empty. "Wh-where is everybody?" he asked.

"My stadium is undergoing some renovations. I hope it isn't a problem. The last kid I battled wasn't too happy about it, he seemed to like the spotlight." Surge said.

"Y-yeah, Kayne likes attention." Matt said, feeling relieved that their wasn't a large crowd like at his other Gym battles.

"Kayne? You a friend of his?" Surge asked.

"N-not really. More l-like rivals or something." Matt said.

"Oh... rivals... Well, that actually makes me quite glad. During the war, my Pokemon saved my life, and I see them all as friends. That kid, your rival, Kayne... the way he treats Pokemon..." Surge said, and started drifting into thought. "Sorry, you wanted to battle right?"

"Yes sir." Matt said.

"Alright then." Surge said, and made a loud whistling noise using his fingers.

A man came to the edge of the railing on the upper bleachers. "Yes Lt. Surge?" the man asked. "Oh, do we have a challenger?" he asked.

"Yes we do." Lt. Surge answered.

"J-just a second." the man said and disappeared for a moment. "Alright then,,," he said, holding a paper in his hand. "This battle will be between the challenger Matthew Crimson from Pallet Town, and the Gym Leader of Vermilion, Lt. Mat Surge. Each trainer may use three Pokemon each, but only the challenger may make substitutions. The bet will be set at ¥1200. The Gym Leader may make the first decision in his Pokemon, and then the challenger may make the first move." the Indigo referee called.

"Go Pikachu!" Surge called, tossing a PokeBall into the air. The yellow mouse-like Pokemon appeared in a flash of light.

"Pikachu? So Krabby wouldn't be a good choice, even with Guillotine. I guess my best shot would be a Grass Type, since their resistant to electricity." Matt thought to himself. "Go Bulbasaur!" he shouted, tossing Bulbasaur's PokeBall into the battle.

"Saur!" Bulbasaur said.

"The first round of this battle will be between Surge's Pikachu, and Crimson's Bulbasaur. The battle will begin when the challenger calls his first attack." the referee said.

"Let's start off strong. Bulbasaur, use Cut!" Matt commanded and Bulbasaur slashed at Pikachu with its vines.

"Dodge it Pikachu, and use Double Team!" Surge called.

"Pika pika pika pika pika!" Pikachu cried as it jumped out of the way and then began to run in circles around Bulbasaur. Soon, Pikachu was moving so fast that it seemed like there were multiple Mouse Pokemon surrounding Bulbasaur.

"Bulbasaur, find the real one with Vine Whip!" Matt commanded and Bulbasaur started to swing its vine around in a circle, slashing through the fake Pikachu.

"Attack before it gets to you, use Swift!" Surge called and the real Pikachu sent a spray of shining stars at Bulbasaur.

"Saur!" Bulbasaur cried.

"Now use Quick Attack!" Lt. Surge commanded and Pikachu tackled Bulbasaur at a blinding speed.

"Bulbasaur, use Poison Powder!" Matt commanded and Bulbasaur released a purple cloud of toxic dust from its bulb.

"Pehakahakachaa!" Pikachu coughed. The Poison Powder had poisoned the Pokemon.

"Pikachu, use Thunder Wave!" Surge growled and Pikachu sent a wave of blue electricity at Bulbasaur, paralyzing Matt's Pokemon.

"B-Bulbasaur, use Cut!" Matt commanded.

"B-b-bulba!" Bulbasaur cried as blue sparks flew from its body. It paralysis made it incapable to attacking.

"Now Pikachu, use Swift!" Lt. Surge called and Bulbasaur was pounded by a spray of powerful stars.

"S-saur." Bulbasaur said, falling to its side.

"Bulbasaur is incapable of battling, and Pikachu is the winner!" the Indigo referee called, waving his flag.

"Come back." Matt said, returning his Pokemon to its PokeBall. "Go Krabby!" he shouted, tossing his second PokeBall into the battle.

"Krabby? Well, that's not a very logical choice." Surge said with a laugh.

"Well, I've learned that types don't really matter. I beat the Gym Leader of Pewter City's Onix with a Pikachu." Matt said. He had defeated Brock by using a combination of his other Pokemon, as well as Pikachu, but in this battle, he was counting on Krabby's Guillotine.

"This second round will be between the Gym Leader's Pikachu, and the challenger's Krabby. Let the round commence!" the referee called.

"An Onix taken down by a Pikachu? Well, that sounds like something that I would like to see someday. Huh Pikachu?" Surge said, looking down at his Pokemon.

"Pika!" Pikachu called up.

"Krabby, use Guillotine!" Matt commanded and Krabby leaped at Pikachu with a blue, glowing claw.

"Use Double Team!" Surge called and Pikachu disappeared again in a circle of clones.

"Hit them with BubbleBeam to find the real one!" Matt commanded and Krabby let loose a spray of bubbles that slammed into the Double Teamed Pikachu.

"Pikachu!" the Electric Pokemon cried as it was hit with the BubbleBeam.

"Pikachu, use ThunderShock!" Surge commanded.

"Piiii kaaa chuuuuuu!" Pikachu cried and sent a bolt of yellow electricity at Krabby.

"Kuriiiii!" Krabby cried.

"Krabby! Krabby, use Guillotine!" Matt commanded and Krabby leaped at Pikachu one again with a glowing claw.

"ThunderShock again!" the Lieutenant commanded and Pikachu hit Krabby with another blast of electric energy.

"Ku-kurib..." Krabby moaned, and fainted.

"Krabby is no longer able to battle. Pikachu is the winner." the referee called, waving his flag.

"Well... it seems that strategy did not work." Lt. Surge said.

"Krabby, return." Matt said, putting Krabby back into its PokeBall. "Go Raticate!" he said, tossing his final PokeBall into the battle.

"Ratt ratta!" Raticate cried.

"This third round will be fought between the Gym Leader's Pikachu and Crimson's Raticate. The battle may now begin!" the referee called.

"Raticate,... you're my last Pokemon. Please win this for me..." Matt whispered to his Pokemon. "Raticate, use Quick Attack!" he commanded and Raticate tackled Pikachu at an extremely fast speed.

"Piii!" Pikachu cried.

"Pikachu, use Swift!" Surge commanded and Pikachu let loose a spray of powerful, golden stars.

"Use Bide Raticate!" Matt commanded and Raticate began to glow with a red light, just before the Swift hit it.

"Damn, its using Bide. That means we'll have to beat it before it can charge up. Pikachu, use ThunderShock!" Surge commanded and Raticate was hit with a spark of electricity that Pikachu sent from its cheek sacs.

"R-raah..." Raticate moaned.

"J-just hang in there Raticate." Matt said to his Pokemon.

"Another ThunderShock!" Surge called and Pikachu sent another bolt of electricity at Raticate.

"R-r-ratti... Raticate!" Raticate cried, a sharp look in its eyes.

"Great. Raticate, unleash your energy!" Matt called and Raticate sent a red blast of energy at Pikachu, instantly knocking the Electric Type Pokemon out.

"Pikachu is unable to battle. Raticate is the winner." the referee said, waving his flag.

"Pikachu return." Surge said, and Pikachu was turned into a red energy and then beamed into its PokeBall. "Go Voltorb!" he said, tossing a GreatBall into the air.

"Voltorb!" the PokeBall-like Pokemon cried.

"_Voltorb, the Ball Pokemon. Usually found near power plants. Easily mistaken for a PokeBall, it has electrocute many people._" Matt's PokeDex said.

"The fourth round of this battle will be between Lt. Surge's Voltorb and Crimson's Raticate. Let the battle begin!" the referee called.

"Raticate, use Quick Attack!" Matt commanded and Raticate slammed its body into the Ball Pokemon at a lightning fast speed.

"Voltorb, use SonicBoom!" Surge cried and Voltorb began spinning is spherical body at an intense speed, sending powerful sound wave.

"Rah..." Raticate moaned.

"Now use Hyper Fang!" Matt commanded and Raticate jumped on top of Voltorb, and then bit into it with its sharp, rodent-like teeth.

"V-volt..." Voltorb cried.

"Just where I want you. Finish this now Voltorb. Use Selfdestruct!" Surge commanded and Voltorb began to glow with a golden light.

"Vollllllllltorrrrrrb!" Voltorb cried and then exploded in a ball of smoke and electricity.

"Raaaaaah!" Raticate cried, falling through the air.

"Raticate is unable to battle. Voltorb is the winner. The victory goes to the Gym Leader, Lt. Surge." the referee called, waving his flag.

"R-return Raticate." Matt said, tearing up a little.

"That was a good match kid." Surge said, walking up to Matt. "You strategy of using Krabby, a Water Type, against an Electric Pokemon like my Pikachu was bold, but with that Guillotine, it was an excellent plan, and it was unfortunate that it failed. I do expect you to return and challenge me to a rematch. I enjoyed this battle far more then the one with your... er... rival." he said, patting Matt on the shoulder.

Matt stared down at Raticate's PokeBall, and then back up at the Gym Leader. "Oh, we'll be back, and next time, I will get your Badge." he said, and then ran out of the Gym and then to the Vermilion City Pokemon Center.


	21. A Bit of Training and a Master Trainer

Outside of Pallet Town

Chapter Twenty-One: A Bit of Training and a Master Trainer

"Now for some real training!" Matt said, gripping Raticate's PokeBall in his hand. He ran out of the Pokemon Center, and then North towards Route 6, hoping to find some trainers to battle. "Uh oh, I've only got ¥400 left and I need ¥1200 to challenge the Gym again. I know, if I don't get enough from battling trainers, I'll just sell the Nugget that I won on Route 24." he said, pulling the ball of gold out of his pack and gazing at it.

"Ahh, that was a great night... Ground could've been a little flatter though." a young boy in a teal, camping outfit said as he climbed out of his dome-style tent.

"Oh, h-hi." Matt said, approaching him. "W-would you happen t-to be a P-Pokemon tr-trainer?" he asked him.

"A Pokemon trainer? Yes, I am." the boy said. "The name's Ricky."

"M-my n-name's Matt. I'm a Level Two trainer, and I w-was just wondering if y-you would want to battle?" Matt asked the camper.

"A battle? Sure, that sounds like great morning exercise for my Pokemon. I'm a Level Three trainer. How about a three-on-three?" Ricky asked.

"Really? Level Three?" he asked, thinking it over. "Well, it would give my Pokemon a lot more experience." he thought. "That sounds great!" Matt said, getting excited. "Let's set the bet at ¥200 then."

"¥200 sounds perfect. Who gets to send their Pokemon out first?" he asked.

"W-well I challenged, so you c-can." Matt said.

"Okay, great! Go Butterfree!" Ricky said, tossing his PokeBall into the air.

"Fweee freee!" Butterfree cried as it was freed from his pocket.

"B-Butterfree huh? Okay, go Pikachu!" Matt said, sending out his Electric Type. "Y-you can make the first move."

"Alright, Butterfree, use Tackle!" Ricky commanded and Butterfree flew down at Pikachu, slamming its body into the Mouse Pokemon.

"Pikachu, use Slam!" Matt called and Pikachu slammed its lightning bolt shaped tail down hard on Butterfree's head.

"F-fw-fweee..." Butterfree moaned.

"Butterfree, use Confusion!" Ricky commanded.

"Fweeee!" Butterfree cried and its eyes began to glow with a light blue light.

"Pika?" Pikachu said as its body was lifted up off of the ground and then slammed down hard into the dirt.

"Pikachu, use ThunderShock!" Matt commanded and Pikachu picked itself up, and then released a bolt of electricity from its cheeks, electrocuting Butterfree. The Electric Type move was super effective against the Flying Pokemon.

"Butterfree, use Poison Powder!" the camper commanded and Butterfree began to flap its wings vigorously, releasing a cloud of purple scales that drifted over to Pikachu.

"P-pikkaaaa..." Pikachu moaned as it inhaled the toxic cloud.

"Darn, Pikachu's paralyzed. We'll have to beat it quick so I can use an Antidote." Matt thought to himself. "Pikachu, use ThunderShock!" he commanded, and Butterfree was hit with another electrical bolt.

"Freeee!" Butterfree cried and collapsed on the ground.

"Butterfree, return!" Ricky called, bringing his Pokemon back to its ball. "Go Squirtle!" he said, tossing his second ball into the air.

"Squirtlesquirt!" the Water Pokemon cried.

"Pikachu, do you think you can still battle for a while?" Matt asked his Pokemon.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu cried and nodded "yes".

"Okay, great Pikachu." Matt said.

"Squirtle, use Bubble!" Ricky commanded and Squirtle shot a spray of bubbles at Matt's Pikachu. The Water Type attack was not very effective.

"Pikachu, use ThunderShock!" Matt commanded and Pikachu sent a super effective bolt of electricity at the Squirtle from its reddish cheeks.

"Telll!" Squirtle cried.

"Squirtle, use Dig!" Ricky called and his Water Pokemon began digging into the ground. Soon the Pokemon had disappeared, and Matt's Pikachu was unable to attack it.

"Shoot, a Dig attack. Where is it?" Matt said, worried about his Pikachu, knowing that a Ground Type attack would do a lot of damage to his Pikachu.

"Pikaaa!" Pikachu cried as Squirtle jumped up out of the ground, tossing dirt and rubble onto Pikachu as it tackled Matt's Pokemon.

"Pikachu, use ThunderShock!" Matt commanded and Pikachu sent another bolt of lightning from its cheeks.

"Squiiiirt!" Squirtle cried.

"Pi... pi... pi..." Pikachu panted. The poison was really starting to effect it now, and Matt knew that he had to to finish this fast.

"Now use Quick Attack!" Matt called out.

"Use BubbleBeam!" Ricky commanded and Squirtle shot a more powerful spray of bubbles at Pikachu.

"Pika pika pika pika!" Pikachu cried as it ran straight through the BubbleBeam and slammed into Squirtle.

"Squir-squirtle..." Squirtle moaned, and then collapsed.

"Squ-Squirtle, return." Ricky said, pulling his Pokemon back into its pocket. "You're pretty good for a Level Two trainer." he said, giving Matt a boost of confidence. "Go Rattata!" he said, tossing his last PokeBall into the air.

"Pikachu come back." Matt said, calling his Pokemon back. "You were great Pikachu, but I think it's time to let someone else have a chance." he said, holding the PokeBall close to his mouth before placing it back on his belt. "Go Beedrill!" he said, tossing his PokeBall into the air.

"Spee spee!" Beedrill cried.

"Okay Rattata, use Quick Attack!" Ricky commanded and Rattata hit Beedrill with a lightning fast attack.

"Beedrill, use Twineedle!" Matt called and Rattata was stung twice by Beedrill's powerful spears. "Now use Poison Sting!" he commanded and Rattata was sprayed with poisonous needles.

"Raaah!" Rattata cried.

"Rattata, use Hyper Fang!" Ricky commanded and Rattata jumped into the air, landing on Beedrill's shoulder, and biting it in the abdomen.

"Spearrrrrr!" Beedrill cried.

"Hit it now while its close, use Fury Attack!" Matt commanded and Beedrill stuck Rattata multiple times with its sharp spears.

"K-koraaah..." Rattata moaned, and fainted.

"Return?" Ricky said, putting his Pokemon back into his PokeBall. "Wow, you are really good Matt. You shouldn't have any problem beating the Vermilion Gym Leader. Here's the money I owe you." he said, handing Matt the ¥200.

"Thanks Ricky." He said, putting the money in his pack. "Thank you so much for the battle."

"It was no problem. We usually have a battle shortly after we wake up, and I'm glad it was with you." he said, shaking Matt's hand. "Well, I'd better clean up camp and then head to the Pokemon Center. See ya." he said, and headed back into his tent.

"Go Pikachu!" Matt said, sending his poisoned Pokemon out. "Here, take this Antidote." he said, spraying the mist into the Pokemon's wound.

"Pika!" Pikachu squealed with delight from the relief.

"And now take this Potion." he said, and sprayed Pikachu down with a Potion, and then put both of his Pokemon back in their pockets. "Now let's go find us another battle." he said, and then continued back up Route 6.

After walking for about ten minutes, Matt came across a battle between a teenage girl with long, flowing pink hair and a middle aged man with a clean-cut hair style in the color of black. The girl was using a Vaporeon, while the man was using a Rhydon. "Vaporeon, use Water Gun!" the girl commanded and her Pokemon shot a blast of water at the large Pokemon.

"_Rhydon, the Drill Pokemon. Protected by an armor-like hide, it is capable of living in molten lava up to 3,600_." Matt's PokeDex stated.

"Use Horn Drill!" the man commanded and the horn on the Pokemon's head began two twist, and then it plunged it into Vaporeon, instantly knocking the Pokemon out.

"Vaporeon return!" the girl said, pulling her Pokemon back into its PokeBall. She paid the man his money and then ran off.

"That's good Rhydon. Return." the man said, pulling his Pokemon back as well. "Oh, hi there." he said as he passed by Matt.

"Y-y-y-you're J-J-Joel!" Matt exclaimed as he recognized the champion of the Indigo Plateau.

"Why yes I am." Joel laughed. "I really never think of myself as a celebrity, but I guess I am in the eyes of trainers."

"Y-y-yes s-s-sir. I've watched all of your t-title matches on T.V." Matt said, gazing up at his idol. "M-my name's M-Matt, and I'm fr-from Pallet T-Town."

"Matt huh?" he said and then snapped his fingers. "Say Matt, how many Gym Badges do you have?" Joel asked.

"T-two sir." Matt said, showing Joel the Boulder Badge and the Cascade Badge.

"Two? That's perfect!" he exclaimed. "I've recently captured three new Pokemon, and I've been training them so that they will fit in better with my team. They're at a level that a Level Three Gym Leader would use. Would you like to have a battle with me, where I will use these Pokemon?" Joel asked Matt.

"A b-b-b-battle?" Matt asked.

"Of course this wouldn't be a title match, but it would give both of our Pokemon some much needed experience. What do you say?" he asked.

Matt has just been challenged by the strongest trainer in the Indigo League. Will he take the challenge, and if he does, what will the outcome be? You will all just have to wait to find out!

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE

I have set up a survey where I am asking which Pokemon Matt should use in his next battle against Lt. Surge. Please answer the survey and pick three of Matt's six current Pokemon. I look forward to your reviews.


	22. A Battle With a Pokemon Master

Outside of Pallet Town

Chapter Twenty-Two: A Battle With a Pokemon Master

"Go Nidoran!" Joel shouted, tossing his PokeBall into the air. This Nidoran looked much different than the one Matt had seen before. "How about we make the bet ¥400, since I am a champion after all."

"¥400 s-sounds great Joel." Matt said and took out his PokeDex.

"_Nidoran, the Poison Pin Pokemon. Stiffens its ears to sense danger. The larger the horns, the more powerful the secreted venom_." Matt's PokeDex stated.

"Its horns are larger than the other Nidoran, so that must mean this one is male." Matt thought to himself. "G-go B-Bulbasaur!" he said, sending his Pokemon. He knew that Joel must be an expert trainer, and that Nidoran would probably use some Poison moves, so a Poison Type would be the best choice.

"That's a nice looking Bulbasaur there Matt. Was it your first Pokemon?" Joel asked.

"Y-yes, Professor Oak gave it to me when I first l-left Pallet Town." Matt said.

"Professor Oak huh? He is an excellent Pokemon Researcher. Okay Matt, you've got the first move.

"R-right, first m-move. Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip!" Matt commanded and Bulbasaur launched its vines at Nidoran.

"Nidoran dodge it, and use Horn Attack!" Joel called and Nidoran ran straight forward, causing the Vine Whip to fly right over its head, and then the Poison Pokemon drove its large horn into Bulbasaur's body.

"Saur!" Bulbasaur cried.

"Now use Double Kick!" he called and Nidoran kicked Bulbasaur twice with its hind feet.

"S-saur!" the Grass and Poison Pokemon moaned as Nidoran kicked the seed on its back. It was a critical hit, doing quite a lot of damage for a less than effective attack.

"Bulbasaur, use Tackle!" Matt called and Bulbasaur slammed its body into the Nidoran.

"Another Horn Attack!" Joel commanded and Nidoran ran at Bulbasaur.

"Dodge it, and use Vine Whip!" Matt shouted.

"Saur!" Bulbasaur said, quickly jumping out of the way and sending its vines out from beneath the seed on its back. "Bulba!" the Pokemon cried as Nidoran changed directions and still impaled it with its horn.

"Now another Double Kick!" Joel called and Nidoran kicked Bulbasaur twice, doing minimal damage.

"Bulbasaur, return!" Matt said, calling his Pokemon back, knowing that the battle would only end up with his Pokemon losing. "You did a great job, but I think we should let someone else have a try. Go Raticate!" he said, tossing his PokeBall. "Be careful of that Double Kick!" he called to his Pokemon, warning it about the Fighting attack that would be powerful against it.

"A Raticate huh, this one looks well raised too." Joel said.

"Th-thank you Joel. Raticate, use Quick Attack!" Matt commanded.

"Rah!" Raticate said, shaking its head no. "Raaaaaaaaaah!" it cried, clenching its muscles as its eyes glowed with a faint blue light.

"Wha-what? What are you doing Raticate?" Matt asked his Pokemon.

"Haha, that looks like Focus Energy! Use Double Kick while its building its power!" Joel called and Nidoran ran up to Raticate, and turned, getting ready to kick it with its hind feet.

"Ratta!" Raticate cried, jumping up in the air, and then back down at an incredible speed, finally executing the Quick Attack that Matt had ordered.

"Ni-nido..." Nidoran moaned, and then fell over.

"Nidoran, return." Joel said, returning his Pokemon to its PokeBall. "That was quite the stroke of luck there Matt, but good strategy in switching Pokemon."

"B-but how d-did Raticate win so quickly? B-Bulbasaur h-hardly did anything to y-your Pokemon." Matt asked.

"Focus Energy is a move that increases the likelihood of your Pokemon landing a critical hit. Raticate was so focused on its target that its Quick Attack hit the perfect spot on my Nidoran." he said with a smile. "Next up is Starmie!" he said, tossing his PokeBall into the air.

"Sutaaa!" the Mysterious Pokemon cried as it was released.

"Raticate return." Matt said, calling his Pokemon back. "Go Pikachu!"

"Pikachu? Again, another great looking Pokemon." Joel said.

"Pikachu go, use ThunderShock!" Matt commanded and Pikachu sent a bolt of lightning from its cheeks, electrocuting the Water Pokemon.

"Starmie, use Double Team!" Joel commanded, and the Water Type Pokemon began to move very quickly, creating several "speed clones" of itself.

"Staaaah!" the Pokemon cried as it moved in a circle around Pikachu.

"Thunder Wave!" Matt commanded.

"Pikaa chuuu!" Pikachu cried, sending a blue wave of electricity from its cheeks and, miracuously, hit the right Pokemon, leaving the Psychic Pokemon paralyzed. "Pehaakaaahaa!" Pikachu laughed as blue sparks flew from Starmie's body.

"Su-sutaa..." Starmie moaned as it tried to move. The normally speedy Pokemon was not used to not being able to move as it pleased.

"Starmie, use Thunder Wave!" Joel commanded and a ball of blue electricity began to form from out of Starmie's core.

"Pikaahahahchachuuu!" Pikachu continued to laugh, until it looked up and saw the Thunder Wave forming. "Pi-pika?"

"Staaaaah!" Starmie cried, releasing the stored electricity.

"Peeekaaaaah!" Pikachu cried, its body receiving an intense blast of electrical energy, paralyzing it, just like the dual Water and Psychic Starmie. "Pi-pikkka..." the Electric Pokemon moaned.

"Pikachu!" Matt screamed. "Shoot, I didn't know Starmie could use Electric moves..." Matt growled to himself. "Use Quick Attack!" he commanded, but Pikachu was unable to move as the blue sparks continued to fly around its body.

"Starmie, use Water Gun!" Joel commanded, but Starmie was unable to move as well.

"Come on Pikachu, use ThunderShock!" Pikachu's trainer shouted, and a bolt of lighting shot out and hit Starmie.

"Stah-sutaaamii..." Starmie moaned, and fell forwards, onto its core.

"Come on back Starmie." Joel returned his Pokemon to its pocket. "Wow Matt, that's two-for-zero. I am really impressed."

"R-really?" Matt asked.

"Of course. I know that these Pokemon aren't at the peak of their ability yet, but I am still the champ of Kanto and Johto." he said, showing of his oversized white teeth. "Go Meowth!"

"Myaaa!" the cream colored, cat-like Pokemon said as it was released from Joel's GreatBall.

"_Meowth, the Scratch Cat Pokemon. Adores circular objects. Wanders the streets on a nightly basis to look for dropped loose change._" Matt's PokeDex stated in its computerized voice.

"Pikachu return!" Matt said, bringing back his paralyzed Pokemon. "Raticate go!" he said, tossing his PokeBall into the air.

"Rah rah ratta!" Raticate cried.

"Use Focus Energy!" Matt commanded and Raticate began clenching its muscles.

"Meowth, use Bite!" Joel commanded and Meowth jumped on Raticate's back, and then bit the Pokemon the back of the neck.

"Rahh..." Raticate growled.

"Now use Quick Attack!" Matt called and Raticate jumped into the air, causing Meowth to fall off, and then turned to execute the lightning fast attack.

"Nyaaaaaass!" Meowth cried.

"Meowth, use Pay Day!" Joel cried, and Meowth tossed a handful of Yen at Raticate.

"Ra-rah..." Raticate moaned.

"That's just some spare change my Meowth picked up. It customary that the trainer of the Pokemon it is used against gets to keep the money thrown from Pay Day, so after the battle is over, you can have whatever you find." Joel said. "Now Scratch!"

"Dodge it Raticate, and use Hyper Fang!" Matt called.

"Rat rat ratta!" Raticate screamed and jumped high into the air, out of Meowth's reach, and then back down where it clamped its sharp teeth down into Meowth's stomach. The attack obviously hit a critical area, and Meowth fainted, falling on its face.

"Return." Joel said, bringing his Pokemon back. "I really did not expect to lose to you Matt. Well done." he said, handing Matt the ¥400.

"Oh my God! That was amazing Matt!" a familiar voice called to him. Jenny ran up to the boy and hugged him around his waist.

"J-J-J-J-J" Matt stammered, unable to say anything.

"Oh, who's this pretty little lady Matt?" Joel asked.

"Th-th-th-this -s J-J-J-J" still, he could not manage to speak her name.

"Oh come on now Matthew." she said, and turned to Joel. "My name is Jenny Blue, and I'm friends with Matthew. I was watching your battle from way up on a hill. Isn't Matthew a terrific battler?" Jenny rambled on.

"Why, yes. Yes, he is a very good battler." Joel said, and turned to Matt. "This is quite an energetic friend you have here Matt."

"J-J-J-J-J" Matt stuttered, and then his face went completely white and he fell to the ground, face first, just like Joel's Meowth.

"Wh-what happened?" Joel asked, picking Matt up and brushing the dirt from his forehead.

"Oh, this happens to him sometimes. I really have no idea why." she said with a giggle.

Raticate sighed, looking at Jenny, and shaking its head. "Rah rah rah."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Remember to vote for who you think Matt should battle Lt. Surge with in his next Gym battle. The survey is on my profile, so please VOTE THERE. Thank you for reading and I look forward to your reviews.


	23. Abra, Kadabra, and Matt Falls Behind

Outside of Pallet Town

Chapter Twenty-Three: Abra, Kadabra, and Matt Falls Behind

"Wh-what happened?" Matt asked as he opened his eyes.

"You passed out after that girl showed up." Joel said, and Matt began to look around at his surroundings. He was no longer out in a grassland, and instead he was inside of the Vermilion City Pokemon Center.

"Oh right... Jenny." he said, standing up and holding his head. "Jenny!" Matt shouted when he realized who had just been hugging him.

"Don't worry." Joel laughed. "After you passed out, you started to pitch a tent in your pants so I carried you here, and gave her HM01 so she could challenge the Gym."

"I d-did what?" Matt asked, looking down at his pants. His face suddenly turned red.

"It's natural Matt, so there's no need to worry." Joel said, patting Matt on the head. "So are you feeling better?"

"Y-yeah..., I think so. Whenever Jenny comes around, its like I can't talk or breath. She's just s-so..." Matt said.

"I think I understand." the champion laughed. "Here, while you were sleeping I had the nurse here heal your Pokemon." he said, handing Matt his PokeBalls.

"Th-thank you." he said, holding his head.

"Oh hey Matthew! You're still here!" Jenny screamed as she walked into the Pokemon Center.

"J-J-J-J-J" Matt began to stutter again.

Joel helped him sit back down on the bed, just in case he fainted again. "Hold on there Jenny, Matt's not feeling too well. Maybe its best if you let him rest for a while." he said.

"Oh... okay..." she said with a frown. "But can I at least show him what I just won?" Jenny asked and Matt looked up. "Its the Thunder Badge. I won if by beating Lt. Surge!" she said, showing Joel and Matt the sun shaped Badge.

"Y-y-you b-beat him?" Matt asked.

"Yeah, my Wartorle wasn't very great against him but with my Paras and Abra, I was able to do it." she said with a giggle.

"A-Abra? H-h-how d-d-did you use an Abra a-aga-against him?" Matt asked, thinking about his own Pokemon.

"When I caught it, it only knew teleport, which I really couldn't use in battle." she started to explain. "Then I found a CD lying on the ground, and when I picked it up, it turned out to be TM35. It turned out to be a really helpful move for Abra."

"A T-T-T-TM?" Matt asked.

"Yup, and after my battle with the Gym Leader, my Abra evolved!" she squealed.

"It ev-evolved?" Matt asked.

"Yeah, now its soooo awesome. Hey Matt, do you wanna battle it?" she asked.

"Now, I don't think thats a good-" Joel started to say.

"Yes... I th-think I d-do." Matt said, and stood up from the bed.

"Are you sure?" Joel asked.

"J-Joel,... when I challenged Lt. Surge, I only managed to defeat one of his Pokemon, and that was probably just by luck. Th-that was why I w-was training up on Route Route 6 this morning. I wanted to get stronger so could challenge him again." he whispered to the champion. "Jenny started her Pokemon Journey almost a week after I did, and now she's already ahead of me. I... I want t-to battle her so I c-can see where I stand." he said.

"I understand." Joel said.

"Y-yes Jenny. I want to b-b-battle you." Matt said.

"Oh goodie!" she squealed. "Let's do it right outside of the Pokemon Center!"

"Oh... okay..." he said, and they followed Jenny outside.

"Sorry that I can't stay to watch you battle Matt, but I've really gotta get going. I'm supposed to be in Cerulean City in a few hours to check up on the Gym. Its part of my duties a champion." he said.

"Oh, okay. Thanks f-for battling with me, and helping me... you know." Matt said, blushing again.

"No problem Matt." he said, and grabbed a PokeBall from his belt. "Go Farfetch'd!" Joel shouted and a brown, duck-like Pokemon appeared in a flash of light.

"_Farfetch'd, the Wild Duck Pokemon. The sprig of onion it holds is its weapon. It is used much like a metal sword_." Matt's PokeDex stated.

"Farfetch'd, use Fly!" Joel commanded and Farfetch'd began to ascend into the sky. The Pokemon champion grabbed a hold of the Pokemon's feet and was carried up into the air. "I'll be waiting for you at the Indigo Plateau Matt!" he called down. "Oh, and you never picked up the money that Meowth threw at your Pokemon!" he said, and dropped the coins. Matt caught each one of them and placed the ¥70 in his pocket.

"So... are you ready to get started Matthew?" Jenny asked after Joel had flown out of their sight.

"Yeah, let's st-start." Matt said.

"Great! Let's just make this a one-on-one match since all I wanna show you is my Kadabra. How about a bet of ¥150." she said, and tossed her PokeBall into the air

"Kadabara!" the Psychic Pokemon cried.

"_Kadabra, the Psi Pokemon. It is the evolved form of Abra. It emits special alpha waves from its body that induces headaches just by being close."_ Matt's PokeDex stated.

"Go Pikachu!" Matt called, sending out his Electric Pokemon, avoiding using a Poison Type like Beedrill or Bulbasaur.

"Oh! Your Pikachu is soooo cute!" Jenny squealed. "Since I challenged you, you can make the first move." she said, moving a strand of black hair from her eye.

"R-right. Pikachu, use Slam!" Matt commanded, and Pikachu swung its lightning bolt-shaped tail at Kadabra, slamming the Pokemon's head to the ground.

"Kadabra, use Kinesis!" Jenny called.

"Kadaaabaaa!" Kadabra cried and materialized a spoon. It held the spoon in its right hand, and bent it with its psychic powers.

"Peekaaaaahhh." Pikachu gasped in amazement over Kadabra's attack, lowering its accuracy.

"Pikachu, use ThunderShock!" Matt commanded and Pikachu sent a bolt of electricity from its cheeks at Kadabra.

"Daahhh!" Kadabra cried.

"Kadabra, use Confusion!" Jenny commanded. Kadabra materialized two more spoons, holding one in each hand. The Pokemon then focused its powers into the spoons, making Pikachu levitate, and then slamming the Electric Type down.

"Pihh... kahhh..." Pikachu groaned.

"Use Quick Attack!" Matt commanded, and Pikachu charged at Kadabra at its top speed.

"Kada!" Kadabra said, stepping to the side slightly.

"Pikachuuuu!" Pikachu cried as it slid past Kadabra, tumbling to a stop.

"D-darn! Pikachu, use ThunderShock!" he called, and Pikachu's attack hit.

"Kadabra, use Metronome!" Jenny called.

"Metronome?" Matt asked.

"Kadab kadab kadab." Kadabra said as it began to waggle its fingers.

"Get ready Pikachu. We won't know what attack its gonna use until just before!" Matt called.

"Metronome was the TM that I taught to Abra. It's what helped me get it this strong." she giggled, and the Psi Pokemon's fingers started to glow with a bright light.

"Kadabaraaaaah!" Kadabra cried, launching the attack. "Kadadadada" the Pokemon closed its eyes and began to snore loudly.

"Wh-what happened?" Jenny asked.

"I... I think it u-used Rest." Matt said, and began to grin. "Its healing itself, so let's hit it with everything we've got! Use Slam!" he commanded and Pikachu slammed its crooked tail down on Kadabra's neck.

"No! Kadabra!" Jenny screamed. "Y-you're fully healed. Wake up!"

"Now use ThunderShock!" Matt commanded and Pikachu shocked the sleeping Pokemon badly.

"Kadaaa?" Kadabra said, waking up and rubbing its eyes.

"Now, hurry and use Quick Attack!" Matt called and Pikachu charged at Kadabra, slamming into the Pokemon's belly area.

"Dabaraaaaa!" Kadabra cried, and fell over.

"No!" Jenny cried and ran to her Pokemon's side. "You did great Kadabra, return." she said, putting her Pokemon back in its ball.

"S-s-sorry to d-d-do that Jenny." Matt said, attempting to look the girl in the eyes.

"That... that's okay Matthew. It was a battle, and I challenged you." she said, holding out her hand for Matt to shake it. "Thanks for a great battle. You should be able to beat the Gym Leader here now for sure."

"Th-th-thanks." Matt said, shaking her hand.

"Well, I gotta go. Bye Matt!" she said, kissed him on the cheek, and then ran into the Pokemon Center.

"Pika?" Pikachu asked, looking up at its master. Matt was covering his cheek with his hand, and blushing a deep red color.

"I... I didn't faint that time." Matt said grinning. "I... I guess this journey was what I needed after all." he said.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu cheered its master on.

"Well, anyway...," he said to his Pokemon, "I used up my last Potion on you after the battle with that Ricky guy. I'd better head to the Poke Mart and stock up. Return Pikachu." he said, putting the Mouse Pokemon back in his PokeBall and then walked to the Vermilion City Poke Mart.

"Hello there, what can I do for ya?" an old man with gray, balding hair asked Matt from behind the counter.

"Umm... I j-just need to st-stock up on a few things." Matt told the man after he approached the counter. "First of all, I'd like to sell this." he said, placing the gold Nugget on the counter.

"Well, this is a fine specimen. I'll give you ¥5000 for it." he said, taking the Nugget and handing Matt the money. "Anything else?"

"Yeah, I recently ran out of Potions. I'll take five of them please." he said and the clerk put five of the spray bottles on the counter. "I better take a a few Paralyz Heals. I'll take two of those." Matt said.

"Will that be all?" the clerk asked and Matt nodded. "That'll be ¥1900 then." he said and Matt handed him the money. "Thank you very much for your business."

"Th-thank you sir." Matt said. He put the items in his bag and walked out of the Poke Mart. "Okay, I beat Ricky, Jenny, and even the Indigo champion. I think I am ready to challenge that Amirikan Gym Leader again."

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Its almost time for Matthew to challenge Lt. Surge to a rematch. Place your votes for which three Pokemon Matt should use in the battle in the survey on my profile page. Please choose three Pokemon.


	24. Going Down in Flames

Outside of Pallet Town

Chapter Twenty-Four: Going Down in Flames

"This battle will be between the challenger, Matthew Wesley Crimson from Pallet Town, and the Gym Leader. Each trainer may use only three Pokemon, but only the trainer may use substitutions." the referee said. Matt was standing at the challenger's corner in the Vermilion Gym's arena, his hand ready to send out his Pokemon. "The bet for this battle will be the same as before, ¥1200."

"Go Pikachu!" Surge said, tossing the ball into the air.

"Pika pika!" Surge's Pikachu said as it appeared from the flash of light.

"Okay, let's go Pikachu!" Matt said, throwing his PokeBall into the air.

"Chu pika!" his Pikachu said, staring down the Gym Leader's Pokemon.

"The first round of this battle will be between the Gym Leader's Pikachu and the challenger's Pikachu. The round will begin as soon as the challenger makes the first move." the referee called from atop his podium.

"I must say, I have been anticipating this rematch since the end of our first battle." the large man dressed in camouflage said. "I trust you've been training hard these last few days."

"Y-yes sir. I've been training very hard. I even had a battle with Champion Joel." Matt said.

"J-Joel? The Indigo champion?" Surge asked. "Y-you battled the st-strongest trainer in the Indigo League?"

"Y-yes. I met him up on Route 6 and h-he challenged me to a battle. He only used lower level Pokemon to battle me, but it was still a good battle." Matt said.

"And what were the results?" the Gym Leader asked.

"W-well... I b-beat him..." Matt answered.

"Y-you... beat him?" Surge asked.

"Y-yes sir." Matt said.

"Well then, I can't wait for this battle to start!" Surge said, gripping his hand into a fist.

"Right th-then. Pikachu go, use Quick Attack!" Matt commanded and his Pikachu ran at the Gym Leader's Pikachu at full speed.

"Dodge it Pikachu, use Double Team!" Surge called and his Pokemon began to run in circles, creating "speed clones" of itself.

Matt's Pikachu ran straight through on of the speed illusions, and then skidded to a stop and looked back at its trainer. "Pika?" it asked.

"Try to find it with ThunderShock!" Matt commanded.

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded and released a bolt of electricity from its cheeks, which it used to swipe across the arena, destroying the false Pikachu.

"Now Pikachu, use Thunder Wave!" Surge commanded.

"Pi pikachaaaawww!" the lieutenant's Pikachu cried and sent a blue sparks flying at Matt's Pikachu.

"Pi... kachaaa..." Pikachu moaned as the blue sparks flew from its body. The attack had paralyzed it.

"Pi-Pikachu, use Dig!" Matt commanded and his Pokemon immediately began digging a hole through the tile floor, disappearing into the ground.

"What? Dig?" Surge exclaimed.

"Yeah!" Matt laughed. "On my way here I ran into a thief, and after battling him I found a TM that had Dig burned on it."

"What a great move to challenge my Gym. I never would have expected it." Lt. Surge said with a smile.

"Yeah, I got the idea after battling a trainer who used Dig on my Pikachu." Matt said, grinning with his genius.

"Alright Pikachu, keep an ear out for it." Surge called.

"Pikaaaaa!" Lt. Surge's Pikachu cried as Matt's Pokemon surfaced, crashing into the Gym Leader's Pokemon and tossing dirt and stone all over it.

"Great attack Crimson! Now Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Lt. Surge commanded and his Pikachu slammed into its foe at a tremendous speed.

"Chaaaawwww!" Matt's Pikachu cried.

"Use Dig!" Matt commanded and his Pokemon began digging another hole, disappearing once again under the Gym floor.

"Again? Watch out Pikachu, its gonna come up at anytime now. Get ready!" the Gym Leader called to his Pokemon.

"Pikachuuuuuu!" Matt's Pikachu cried as it burst up through the ground, showering Lt. Surge's Pikachu in dirt and debris.

"Pi... ka... chu..." Surge's Pikachu said, and then collapsed on the floor.

"The Gym Leader's Pikachu is unable to battle. Matthew Crimson's Pikachu is the winner!" the referee called, waving his flag.

"Pikachu, return!" the tall man said, calling his Pokemon back. "Go Voltorb!" Lt. Surge shouted, tossing Voltorb's ball into the air.

"Vollll!" Voltorb cried.

"The next round will be fought between Lt. Surge's Voltorb, and Matt Crimson's Pikachu. Let the round begin!" the referee called.

"Pikachu, use Slam!" Matt commanded and Pikachu slammed its lightning bolt-shaped tail into the ball -shaped Pokemon.

"Voltorb, use Screech!" Surge called.

"Tooooooooooorbbb!" Voltorb let out an ear pierce screech. Pikachu covered its ears to muffle the sound. The attack harshly lowered the Mouse Pokemon's defense.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Matt commanded and Pikachu charged at Voltorb at an extremely fast speed.

"Volllttt!" Voltorb cried.

"SonicBoom!" the man commanded and Voltorb began to spin very fast on the ground, so fast that it send a supersonic wave of sound crashing into the Electric Pokemon.

"Pi... pi... pi..." Pikachu panted.

"Pikachu, use Dig!" Matt called.

"Pikachu!" his Pokemon cried and dug a hole through the Gym floor.

"Torvoltorb!" Voltorb cried as Pikachu climbed up from under the Gym floor, slamming into the Ball Pokemon.

"Volt... t-torb." Voltorb moaned.

"SonicBoom again!" Lt. Surge commanded and Pikachu was hit with another blast of sonic energy.

"Chachuuu..." Matt's Electric Type cried, and fell forward, unable to move.

"Crimson's Pikachu is unable to battle. Voltorb is the winner!" the referee called and waved his flag.

"P-Pikachu return." Matt said, calling his Pokemon back. "Thank you Pikachu. I think we really caught him off guard with Dig." he said to the PokeBall. "Go Raticate!"

"This next round will be between Lt. Surge's Voltorb, and Matthew Crimson's Raticate!" the Indigo official called.

"Raticate, use Hyper Fang!" Matt commanded immediately and Raticate jumped into the air.

"Dodge it Voltorb and use SonicBoom!" Lt. Surge commanded.

"Torb voltorb!" Voltorb said and jumped out of the way. The Ball Pokemon began to spin and sent a wave of sound at Raticate. "Tooooorb!" the Pokemon cried as Raticate's fangs bit into it. It had been unable to avoid the attack, and Matt's Pokemon was too fast, causing the SonicBoom to miss.

"Selfdestruct!" Surge commanded.

"Wh-what?" Matt said, realizing that he had fell for the same trick again.

"Vollllltoooorrrrbbbbb!" Voltorb cried, and then exploded in a bright, white light.

"Rattaaaaaaaaa!" Raticate cried, and flew backwards, landing at Matt's feet.

"Raticate! No!" Matt cried.

"Both of the Pokemon are unable to battle. This round ends in a draw!" the referee dictated, waving his flag.

"Y-you never meant for... for that SonicBoom to hit. Did you?" Matt asked sadly. "R-Raticate... return..."

"Return Voltorb." Surge said, calling his Pokemon back. "Well... when you sent out Raticate,... I just took a wild guess. A good trainer can always get a good feel for the situation, and make predictions about a less experienced trainer."

"R-right... I gue-guess it was pretty predictable..." Matt said.

"Go Raichu!" Lt. Surge said, tossing his PokeBall into the air. His third Pokemon appeared in a flash of light.

"Ra-Raich-chu?" Matt asked and took out his PokeDex. He pointed it at the large mouse-like Pokemon.

"_Raichu, the Mouse Pokemon. The Evolved form of Pikachu. Its long tail serves as a ground to protect it from its own high voltage power._" the PokeDex said.

"Ev-evolved P-P-Pikachu?" Matt asked, and grabbed a PokeBall from his belt. "Let's g-go Bulbasaur!" he said, tossing his first Pokemon's PokeBall into the air.

"Bulbasaur!" Bulbasaur cried.

"This next, and final, round of the battle will be between Lt. Surge's Raichu, and Matthew Crimson's Bulbasaur. Let the final round of this match begin!" the official called.

"Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip!" Matt commanded and the Grass Type Pokemon slashed at the Mouse Pokemon with its long, green vine.

"Dodge it Raichu, use Swift!" Lt. Surge called and the Mouse Pokemon jumped into the air and swung its tail in Bulbasaur's direction, sending a spray of golden cars at it.

"Saur!" Bulbasaur cried as the Swift hit its body, also sending the Vine Whip back at it, increasing its power.

"Cut!" Matt commanded and Bulbasaur's slashed at Raichu again with its vine, this time with a much more powerful attack.

"Raichu, use Thunderbolt!" Lt. Surge commanded of his Pokemon.

"Thunderbolt? I've never heard of that attack." Matt said to himself.

"Laaaaaiiiii chhaaaaaaaaaa!" Raichu cried, as it began building up an incredible electrical energy in its cheeks.

"Wha-what?" Matt asked.

"Laaaaaichaaawaawaaaaaa!" Raichu screamed, releasing an orange bolt of electricity from its cheeks. The Thunderbolt flew through the air, causing the Leech Seed to disintegrate, and striking Bulbasaur in the head, doing a large amount of damage to the Poison Pokemon.

"B-bulb-baaa..." Bulbasaur moaned as it tried to pick itself up off the ground.

"B-Bulbasaur!" Matt called to his Pokemon. Orange sparks of electrical danced over its body.

"Thunderbolt is a new move that I developed here in the Vermilion Gym. Most people view it as a more powerful form of ThunderShock." Lt. Surge said.

"G-great. That attack was so strong that it even did a lot of damage to a Grass Type like Bulbasaur!" Matt growled to himself. "Bulbasaur, use Poison Powder!" he commanded.

"Bulbaaaaa!" Bulbasaur cried and released a cloud of purple dust from under its bulb. The dust drifted over to Raichu, instantly poisoning the Pokemon.

"Raichu, use Slam!" Surge called and the Raichu slammed its elongated, lightning bolt shaped tail down on Bulbasaur's head.

"B-b-b-b-bulb-ba..." Bulbasaur moaned. It was clear to everyone that its HP was nearly depleted.

"Use Leech Seed!" Matt commanded, hoping to regain some of the HP, knowing that without it the battle was over.

"Thunderbolt!" Lt. Surge commanded and Raichu sent another amazingly powerful bolt of electricity at Bulbasaur, knocking the Grass Type Pokemon out before it could attack.

"The challenger's Bulbasaur is unable to battle. Raichu is the winner. The match goes to the Gym Leader, Lt. Surge." the referee dictated, waving his flags.

"B-Bulbasaur, return." Matt said sadly. "I-I'm so sorry B-Bulbasaur. I d-didn't kn-know about that Thunderbolt attack..." he said.

"Too bad, I really expected more from this battle." Lt. Surge said and approached Matt. The boy handed the tall man his money. "Maybe go try training some more. Give it some time and maybe challenge me again in a few months or more."

"R-right... th-thank you for the ch-chance." Matt said, choking back the tears. He exited the Gym, and sat down right outside of the vine barrier.

His face became flooded with tears. "Wh-why can't I beat him. I beat Jenny's Kadabra without any problems, and Joel wasn't that hard. Why can't I beat this Amirikan?" he asked himself.

"Faaaayaaaaaa!" Matt heard an ear-piercing screech from up in the air. He looked up to see a large, orange ball of flames soared across the sky.

"Is... is that a Pokemon?" he asked himself and took out his PokeDex.

"_Moltres, the Flame Pokemon. Known as the legendary bird of fire. Every flap of its wings a giant dazzle of flashing flames_." the PokeDex said.

"M-M-M-Moltres!" Matt exclaimed. "B-but that's impossible." he said, and then he began to grin. "Okay, I'll do what Lt. Surge suggested. I'll do a little more training, but I won't be back in a month, or even close to that. I'll give you one more week Lt. Surge, and then that Badge is mine!" Matt said, clenching his fist close to his face.

* * *

READER'S RESPONSE

Matt is going to do some training over on Route 11. He is going to catch a Pokemon there, but I am unsure which one he should catch. Should he catch a Spearow, Diglett, or Sandshrew?


	25. The Flames of Fate

Outside of Pallet Town

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Flames and Fate

"Now use Hyper Fang!" Matt commanded and Raticate jumped into the air and dug its sharp fangs into the Pokemon's body.

"No Pidgey!" the little girl cried and picked up her Pokemon. "Return, you put up a good fight." she said. "You're really good. I can see how you've won two badges."

"Thank you." the little boy said, and the girl handed him his money.

"Are you going to challenge the Vermilion Gym Leader?" Maya asked.

"You bet I am. I've already lost to him twice, but this time I know I'll win." Matt said, his energy still burning since he saw Moltres fly over his head.

"Really? But... if you've lost to him twice already, how do you know you'll win? Do you have some sort of... like secret weapon or something?" the girl asked.

"Not really a secret weapon, just a feeling." Matt said.

"A feeling? What kind of feeling?" Maya asked.

"Its just a... a weird feeling. Its telling me that if I just go out and do a little training, I can beat Surge for sure." Matt said.

"Well, that's cool. Thanks for the battle, I gotta go." Maya said and headed into Vermilion City.

"Return Raticate." Matt said, calling his Pokemon back into its PokeBall. "Oh my God!" he exclaimed when he realized what he had done, or rather not done. "I didn't stutter, or blush, or anything!" he said. "This is... so weird!"

"Alright, now let's see if I can find a trainer to battle." he said to himself after about an hour of searching. "That Maya girl was way too easy. I need to find a trainer who's got some spunk. Maybe some Level Two trainer, though I'd prefer a Level Three."

"You said you're looking for a Level Two trainer?" a voice asked Matt. Matt looked down to see an older man in a blue robe sitting at his feet. The man was bald with a pure white beard, and hat three cups sitting in front of him on the ground.

"Well, I said I'd prefer a Level Three, but Level Two would do." Matt said to the man.

"What would you say to a battle with me?" the man asked.

"A battle? With you? Sure!" Matt exclaimed. "B-but how are you only a Level Two trainer?" Matt asked.

"Well,... that's a long story,... but I'll tell it anyway since I love long stories." the man said with a grin. "When I turned ten years old, much like yourself, I started my Pokemon Journey. My mother gave me an Oddish for my birthday. I trained Oddish for a few days, then I roamed into a town that currently had a circus visiting. At the circus, I found a a game booth were the vendor had a game where you had to find the PokeBall he had hidden under one of three cups. I immediately fell in love with the game, and then became addicted to gambling. Soon I set up my own booth, and after the circus moved out of town, I decided to travel the country. In all these years I've only been able to win two Badges." the man said.

"That wasn't a very long story..." Matt said.

"Well... it took a long time for the story to develop..." the man said. "My name is Jasper."

"My name is Matthew Crimson, and I'm a Pokemon trainer from Pallet Town." Matt said, enjoying his new ability to talk to strangers.

"Okay Matthew Crimson from Pallet Town, let's have us a battle." the gambling man said. "Let's have a one-on-one battle, with a bet set at ¥1300."

"¥1300? Th-that's crazy!" Matt exclaimed. "Hey, what can I say? I love to put my neck on the line? So do we have a deal?" Jasper asked.

"Y-yes. We have a deal." Matt said reluctantly.

"Great! Let's make the battle a little more interesting." Jasper said and took three PokeBalls from his pocket and placed one under each cup. "Go ahead and mix up the cups. Which ever one I choose is the one I use in battle."

"Oh... kay..." Matt said, and did as he was told.

"Alrighty then, I'll choose this one!" Jasper said and choose the cup furthest to the left. "Now, how about we do the same with your Pokemon?"

"That... sounds fair to me." Matt said and placed three of his PokeBalls under the cups. He had chosen the PokeBalls of Bulbasaur, Beedrill, and Krabby.

"Alrighty then, go and pick one!" Jasper said excitedly and Matt picked the cup in the middle. He picked up the PokeBall and stepped back, giving them enough room to battle.

"Ready then Matthew?" Jasper asked and Matt nodded. "Let's go Pokemon!" he said, tossing his PokeBall into the air.

"Sparaouuut!" the yellow, root-like Pokemon said when it appeared.

"A Bellsprout?" Matt said and took out his PokeDex.

"_Bellsprout, the Flower Pokemon. A carnivorous Pokemon that traps and eats bugs. It appears to use its root feet to replenish moisture."_ Matt's PokeDex said with its computerized voice.

"Okay then, come on out!" the boy said, tossing his PokeBall into the air.

"Kurib kurib!" Krabby said when it appeared in front of its master.

"Kr-Krabby?" Matt said, now worried that he had made the wrong choice in betting so much money.

"Alrighty! Go ahead and make the first move Matthew Crimson!" Jasper said.

"R-r-right. Kr-Krabby, use ViceGrip!" Matt commanded and Krabby jumped at the Flower Pokemon, clamping down on Bellsprout's leaf with its claw.

"Use Vine Whip!" the gambler commanded, and Bellsprout slashed at Krabby with its root-like feet.

"K-kur..." Krabby moaned.

"C-come on Kr-Krabby. Use BubbleBeam!" Matt commanded and Bellsprout was hit with a spray of bubbles that Krabby sent from its mouth. The Water Type attack did almost nothing to the Grass Pokemon. "Sh-shoot!"

"Let's use Vine Whip again!" Jasper called and Bellsprout executed another powerful Grass Type attack on the Water Type Krabby.

"Ribbuuu!" the River Crab Pokemon moaned.

"U-use Guillotine!" Matt commanded, hoping to end this battle quickly, as well as in his favor.

"Kuribbb!" Krabby cried and jumped at Bellsprout holding its glowing blue claw out.

"Dodge it Bellsprout!" Jasper commanded and Bellsprout did a flip over the Water Pokemon, dodging the powerful attack. "Now use Vine Whip!" he called and Bellsprout whipped Krabby with its powerful feet.

"Come on Krabby." Matt thought to himself. "We can't lose. We have to win this. We have to train to beat Surge!" he thought. "Krabby, use Guillotine!" Matt shouted.

"Kurriiiibbbb!" Krabby cried and lunged at the Flower Pokemon.

"Sp-sprout!" Bellsprout cried as Krabby's powerful blue claw pinched off its airway, causing it to faint almost immediately.

"Bellsprout!" Jasper called to his Pokemon. "Return." he said, calling his Pokemon back.

"I... I won?" Matt asked himself. "Yes! We won Krabby!" he cried, and bent down to hug his Pokemon.

"Kurib kurib!" Krabby said as its master squeezed it.

"Life is always a gamble, but that's what makes it so interesting." Jasper said and handed Matt the money. "When you sent out that Krabby, I truly expected to win. What a surprise it was when that Guillotine landed, and you won. That Krabby sure was fast."

"Th-thank you sir." Matt said, looking down. He was blushing.

"No need to thank me. You were looking for a battle, and I was looking for the thrill of a gamble." Jasper said, and pulled himself up off the ground. "Maybe I'll see you again someday." he said, and walked to the eastern part of Route 11.

"D-darn it." Matt said to himself, realizing that his shyness had returned.

"Kurib?" Krabby asked, looking up at its master.

"It's nothing Krabby. Return." he said, putting his Pokemon back into its Pocket. " Shoot, I guess I'm back to where I started."

"Zuzu!" a Pokemon cried as it flew out of the tall grass in front of him and started to peck Matt on the head.

"Wh-what the? What's going on?" Matt said, and he tried to cover his head.

"Spaaaa!" the Flying Type Pokemon cried as it circled above him.

"A Spearow!" Matt exclaimed, and grabbed a PokeBall from his belt. "And its wild! Go Pikachu!"

"Pika!" Pikachu cried.

"Rowww!" Spearow cried and dived at Pikachu, pecking at its head with its sharp beak.

"Fury Attack? Aww cool. Now I've gotta catch it! Pikachu, use ThunderShock!" Matt commanded.

"Pikachaaaawww!" Pikachu cried, releasing a bolt of electricity from its cheeks.

"Spaaaaraoaaa!" Spearow cried, and fell to the ground. "Row row row!" it screeched and began to use Fury Attack on Pikachu once again.

"Use Thunder Wave!" Matt commanded and Pikachu shocked the Flying Type with a bolt of blue electricity.

"Sp-spearowww..." Spearow moaned as blue sparks flew from its body.

"Great! Go PokeBall!" Matt shouted and tossed the red and white sphere.

"Row!" Spearow moaned as the PokeBall hit it on the head. The Normal and Flying Type Pokemon was turned into a red energy, and pulled inside of the pocket. For several seconds, the PokeBall rolled back and forth on the ground.

"Yes, yes, come on, come on!" Matt said, his hands were shaking nervously.

"Row!" the Tiny Bird Pokemon cried as it escaped from the ball.

"Darn!" Matt shouted.

"Spear spearow!" Spearow cried and used Peck on Pikachu's head.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried.

"Use another ThunderShock!" Matt commanded.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu cried and sent a wave of electrical energy at Spearow.

"Spaaaaaa!" Spearow cried and fell to the ground once more.

"Again, go PokeBall!" the young Pokemon trainer shouted and tossed the PokeBall at Spearow. Once again the Flying Pokemon was pulled inside of the ball. "Please, catch it!" he prayed as the ball rolled around on the ground. "Yes! I did it!" he cried as the ball made a clicking noise and flew up into his hand.

"Pi pikachu!" Pikachu cried.

"I just caught a Spearow!" Matt said. "Whoa!" he cried as the ball turned white and disappeared from his hand.

"Pika?" the Mouse Pokemon asked.

"Oh, its nothing to worry about Pikachu. I just can't have anymore then six Pokemon in my party. Spearow was sent to Bill's storage system, and I can get it next time I go to a Pokemon Center."

"Pihekah." Pikachu said and nodded, showing that it understood.

"Alright, now I've got a new Pokemon, and I've won a few battles. What do you say we head back into town and challenge Lt. Surge again!"

"Pika!" Pikachu squealed in delight at the idea.


	26. Down the Diglett Hole

Outside of Pallet Town

Chapter Twenty-Six: Down the Diglett Hole

"Third Badge, here we come!" Matt said and started humming the theme to the Pokemon League. After beating two trainers, one difficult and the other not so much, Matt captured himself a feisty Spearow. Even though he knew that the Flying Pokemon would be at a great disadvantage, he still hoped that some of its moves would come in handy.

"Digda di, digda di, digda di!" several Pokemon said together as they stuck their heads in and out of the ground.

"Oh wow, look at all the Diglett!" Matt said and took out his PokeDex.

"_Diglett, the Mole Pokemon. Lives one meter underground where it feeds on plant roots. It sometimes appears above ground."_ the electronic encyclopedia stated.

"Alright Krabby, use BubbleBeam!" Matt commanded, tossing Krabby's PokeBall into the air.

"Kuuuribbb!" Krabby cried as it released a spray of bubbles from its mouth.

"Diiiii!" most of the Diglett cried and disappeared beneath the ground. One of them stayed and scratched at Krabby with its rough head.

"Oh? So you want to battle me?" Matt asked the Ground Type.

"Digda diiii!" Diglett said.

"Krabby, use BubbleBeam!" Matt commanded and Krabby sent another spray of powerful bubbles at Diglett.

"Di!" Diglett cried and disappeared under the ground. "Digdaaaa!" it cried as it dug its way back up to the surface, crashing into Krabby.

"K-kurib..." Krabby moaned.

"Use Guillotine!" Matt shouted, and Krabby jumped into the air and attempted to clamp onto Diglett with its glowing claw.

"Dig!" Diglett said and disappeared once again.

"Darn! All this Pokemon does is use Dig!" Matt exclaimed. "Wait a second... Dig! Diglett would be perfect to use against Lt. Surge!"

"Kuriiiiiib!" Krabby cried as Diglett slammed into it again.

"Krabby, use ViceGrip!" the trainer commanded and Krabby clamped onto the Ground Type Pokemon with its claw. "Yes! You got it!"

"D-dig digda!" Diglett cried.

"Now use BubbleBeam!" he cried and Krabby launched a close range BubbleBeam attack.

"Diggggggdaaaaaaa!" Diglett cried as the super effective Water Type attack.

"Awesome! Go PokeBall!" Matt shouted and tossed a PokeBall at the Diglett. The ball struck Diglett just as Krabby released it, and the Mole Pokemon was turned into a red energy and pulled into the ball.

"Kurib kurib!" Krabby cried cheerfully.

"Digda di digda di!" Diglett cried as it escaped from the capturing device.

"What? No!" Matt cried. "Krabby, use BubbleBeam!"

"Kuriiiiiib!" Krabby cried and blasted the Ground Pokemon with another spray of bubbles.

"D-dig..." Diglett moaned and almost fainted.

"Let's try it again!" the trainer cried and tossed another ball.

"D-di!" Diglett cried as it was struck by the PokeBall. It was pulled inside of the ball once more, and began to roll back and forth on the ground.

"K-kurib?" Krabby asked as it watched the ball roll around.

"Yes!" Matt screamed as the PokeBall made a clicking noise and flew up into his hand.

"Ku ku kurib!" Krabby cried and the ball vanished from its master's hand.

"Now I'm gonna beat Lt. Surge for su-" Matt started to say before the ground below him started to crumble. "Wh-what's goin-" he started, and the ground opened up below him and he fell into a deep, dark hole.

"Kurib kurib!" Krabby said as it poked its unconscious master on the head.

"Owww..." Matt said, rubbing his head. He had hit his head on the way down, and Krabby was not making it any better. "Wh-where am I?"

"Kuuuurib?" Krabby said, looking around.

"Krabby, return." he said, bring Krabby back into the ball. "How am I supposed to get out of here?"

Digda di digda di digda di!" a swarm of Diglett cried as the surfaced.

"Wh-what?" Matt asked as he was picked up and carried down the tunnel by the Pokemon. "Wh-where are you all taking me?"

"Digda di digda di digda di!" the cried as they carried Matt for what seemed like hours.

"Is... that light?" Matt asked as he saw something shining way down in the tunnel. "It is, its light!"

"Digda di!" the Diglett said and dug back into the ground, leaving Matt at the exit to the tunnel.

"Gah!" Matt said as he climbed out of the tunnel, covering his eyes at the intense light. "So... now where am I?" he said, and looked around at his surroundings. He saw a house and thought that it would be his best chance to find out how far he was from the Vermilion Pokemon Center.

"Yes?" a male voice called from inside when Matt knocked on the front door. "Who is it?"

"M-my name is Matt, and I'm a li-little lost." Matt said, and the door opened.

"Lost eh? Okay, come in, come in." a man in a white lab coat and round glasses greeted Matt inside. "So... you're lost?"

"Y-yes sir." Matt said.

"Hey, no need to call me sir. My name's Herb, but most people call me Dr. TM." the man said.

"Dr. TM? Wh-why do they call you that?" Matt asked.

"Curious are we?" Dr. TM said with a laugh. "I'm a Move Burner."

"A Move Burner?" Matt asked.

"Yes of course. I take the videos and other information about Pokemon moves and burn them onto the CDs that become TM disks." Dr. TM said.

"Y-you make TMs?" Matt asked.

"I sure do. Now, let me get a map to show you where you are exactly..." Dr. TM said and started to shuffle through some papers, looking for his map.

"S-so... you m-must have a lot of TM disks around h-here..." Matt said, grabbing one of his PokeBalls from his belt.

"Naturally." Herb said without looking up.

"That's something that you could really use." he said to the ball.

"Hmm... did you say something?" Dr. TM asked.

"I w-was just t-talking to my Abra..." Matt said.

"Wait, did you say Abra?" Herb asked.

"Y-yeah, why?" the trainer asked.

"I've been looking for an Abra! Abra is one of the few Pokemon that can only learn new moves through the use of a TM. It would be the perfect Pokemon for me to experiment on!" Dr. TM said.

"R-really? I h-haven't been a v-very good trainer for it. I've h-had it for quite awhile and I haven't even used it in a battle 'cause of its move situation." Matt said.

"Hmm... I see..." Dr. TM said. "Hey, I've got an idea! Why don't you trade your Abra for one of my Pokemon?" Dr. TM asked, catching Matt by surprise.

"Tr-tr-tr-trade P-Pokemon?" Matt asked.

"Yes, we would put one Pokemon each into a machine, and then the computer would switch them inside of the PokeBalls, changing the trainers. That's a Pokemon Trade." Herb explained.

"R-really?" he asked, thinking about his Pokemon.

"All my Mr. Mime is interested in is battling, and it will never sit still for my experiments. Abra spend most of the day sleeping and prefer not to battle, so it would be perfect to experiment on. What do you say, trade Abra for Mr. Mime?" Dr. TM asked.

Matt thought about it for a moment. "I th-think that w-would be best for Abra..." he said, and took out his PokeDex. He flipped through the electronic pages until he found the picture of Mr. Mime.

"_Mr. Mime, the Barrier Pokemon. If interrupted while miming, it will slap around the offender with its broad hands._" the PokeDex stated.

"Great, then right this way." Dr. TM said and lead Matt to a large machine. The machine was made of a rectangular box-like base with a broad screen across the front. There was a tube coming from each of smaller narrow ends of the box, that ended with a funnel-like extension. "Okay, go ahead and put Abra's PokeBall in the right tube. "And here goes Mr. Mime." Dr. TM said and placed his PokeBall in the left funnel. "If you're ready, push the red button."

"R-red button? O-okay." Matt said and pressed the bright red button under the screen.

"Here... we... go!" Herb said and both of the PokeBalls were sucked up into the tubes. Soon, sillouetted images of Matt's Abra and Dr. TM's Mr. Mime crossed the screen. The two PokeBalls then dropped back out of the tubes and Matt picked up his PokeBall. "Congratulations, you are now the owner of my Mr. Mime."

"W-wow..." Matt said, looking down at Abra's PokeBall which now contained his new Mr. Mime.

"So, about that map." Herb said and opened up his piece of paper. "We are here, on on the southern half of Route 2."

"R-R-Route 2? Th-that's almost all the way back to Viridian City!" Matt exclaimed.

"Yes. Yes it is. So, where'd ya come from? The forest?" TM asked.

"N-no. Route 11." Matt said.

"R-Route 11? Are you kidding me? How did you get lost from there to here?" Herb asked.

"I fell down a Diglett hole..." Matt said, blushing.

"Oh... well that explains it." Herb said. "Oh well. I'll just have to teleport you there."

"T-telep-port me?" Matt asked.

"Sure, I can use my new Abra to send us to Vermilion City with its Teleport." Dr. TM said, and pressed the button on the PokeBall.

"Braaaaah..." Abra snored.

"R-really? It can d-do that?" Matt asked.

"Yeah... You didn't know that?" Dr. TM said. "Okay now Abra, use Teleport to send Matt and me to Vermilion City!" he said and in an instant they were in the port city.

"Wh-what?" Matt asked, and looked around to see that he was in front of the Vermilion City Pokemon Center.

"There you go Matt." Herb said. "Back to my house then Abra!"

"Braaaa..." Abra snored and the two vanished.

"Th-thank... you?" Matt said as he stood in front of the Pokemon hospital.


	27. The Thunder Within

Outside of Pallet Town

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Thunder Within

"It's only been two days and you're already back for a rematch?" the tall man asked Matt from the other side of the arena.

"Yup. I r-really think I'm ready now." Matt said.

"Okay then." Surge said and nodded to the referee who was standing up on the balcony.

"The rules of this battle are the same as the last. Each trainer may use three Pokemon, but only the challenger may make substitutions. The bet is set to ¥1200." the official said.

"Go Pikachu!" Lt. Surge said and tossed his PokeBall into the air.

"Now, let's go Pikachu!" Matt said, tossing his Pikachu's PokeBall into the air.

"Pika!" Matt's Pikachu squealed as it appeared, and then glared at the Gym Leader's Pokemon.

"The same strategy huh Matthew? I hope you've accomplished a lot of training in these past few days." Lt. Surge said.

"The first round of this battle will be between Lt. Surge's Pikachu, and Matthew Crimson's Pikachu. The battle will begin when the challenger calls the first move!" the referee called.

"Right, now Pikachu, use Slam!" Matt commanded, and Pikachu ran up to Lt. Surge's Pokemon, and slammed its head down with its lightning bolt shaped tail.

"Pi-pikachaaa!" Surge's Pikachu cried.

"Pikachu, use Thunder Wave!" Lt. Surge commanded, and his Pikachu began charging electricity and blue sparks flew from its cheeks.

"Dig!" Matt called and his Pikachu began digging a hole through the floor, quickly avoiding the paralyzing attack.

"Damn! Watch out Pikachu!" Surge called.

"Chaaaaaaaaa!" his Pikachu cried as Matt's Pikachu dug up from the ground beneath it.

"Now Thunder Wave!" Matt commanded and Lt. Surge's Pikachu was hit by a bolt of blue electricity, instantly paralyzing his Pokemon.

"No!" Surge called. "Pikachu, try using Swift!"

"Pi... kaaa..." his Pikachu moaned as blue sparks danced about its body.

"Quick Attack!" Matt called and his Pikachu ran at Lt. Surge's Pokemon at an incredible speed.

"Pikaaaah!" Surge's Pikachu cried as it skidded across the floor.

"Lt. Surge's Pikachu is unable to battle, Crimson's Pikachu is the winner!" the referee called as he waved his flag.

"Return Pikachu." Lt. Surge said, calling his Mouse Pokemon back into its PokeBall. "Haven't we already been through something like this Mr. Crimson?"

"Th-the battle's j-just started sir." Matt said, smiling.

"Go Voltorb!" Surge called, tossing his GreatBall into the air.

"Return Pikachu, and go Raticate!" Matt said, calling his Pokemon back into its PokeBall, and then sending out Raticate.

"Mr. Crimson, now I know we've been through this before... Well, its your choice Matthew, I just thought we could make this battle a little more interesting." Surge said.

"The second round of this battle will be between Lt. Surge's Voltorb, and Matthew Crimson's Raticate. The round will begin when the challenger calls the first move!" The referee called.

"G-go Raticate, use Quick Attack!" Matt commanded and Raticate charged at Voltorb at a blinding speed, crashing into the Ball Pokemon.

"Voltorb, use SonicBoom!" Lt. Surge commanded of his Pokemon and Voltorb began to spin its round body at a high speed, sending a harsh sound wave crashing into Raticate.

"Tail Whip!" Matt called and Raticate tuned its back to Voltorb, and then started to waggle its tail, lowering the Electric Pokemon's defensive power.

"Tackle!" the Gym Leader commanded, and Voltorb rolled quickly at Raticate, slamming its body into the Normal Type Pokemon.

"Traaaah!" Raticate moaned.

"Come on Raticate, use Quick Attack!" Matt shouted, and the Mouse Pokemon slammed into Voltorb at its fastest speed. "Yes! Great job!"

"Screech!" Lt. Surge commanded, and the Ball Pokemon released an ear-splitting cry that greatly reduced Raticate's defensive strength.

"Now as we planned Raticate, use Hyper Fang!" Matt shouted, and Raticate jumped onto Voltorb's round body, and bit down on it with its sharp teeth.

"Vaaaaaallt!" Voltorb cried.

"Three times in a row? Voltorb, use Selfdestruct!" Surge cried and Voltorb's body began to glow with a bright, white light.

"Do it now, jump back and use Bide!" Matt called.

"Rah!" Raticate cried, and then jumped backwards off of Voltorb's body. Voltorb then exploded in a violent light, and Raticate stood still and absorbed the damage. "R-raaataah..." the Mouse Pokemon moaned.

"Voltorb is no longer able to battle, and Raticate is the winner!" the referee called, waving his flag.

"Come back Voltorb!" Lt. Surge said and returned his Voltorb to its GreatBall. "I see that you have learned something Matthew. You've really caught me off guard on that one, having my Pokemon sacrifice itself only to have you Pokemon stay in the battle. On top of all that, I now have to worry about the energy your Raticate is building up with Bide."

"Well, that's not my only trick for this battle sir." Matt said.

"Now, let's end this battle just as quickly as our last! Go Raichu!" the former soldier shouted and tossed his PokeBall into the air.

"Rai!" the orange, Mouse Pokemon said and orange sparks flew from its yellow cheeks.

"The next round of this battle will be fought between the Gym Leader's Raichu, and the Challenger's Raticate. The round will begin when Matthew Crimson makes the first move!" the official called from atop the balcony.

"Well, I can't d-do anything at the moment sir, so you can go ahead and attack." Matt said.

"Right! Raichu, stop it before it can release all that energy! Use Thunderbolt!" Surge shouted and Raichu sent a powerful wave of orange electricity down on Raticate, electrocuting the Normal Type Pokemon and doing a great amount of damage.

"Rah...rahh..." Raticate panted.

"Just hold on Raticate! Release your energy!" Matt shouted and a ray of pure red energy shot from Raticate and slammed into Raichu.

"Raiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" Raichu cried. The Bide had been made super powerful after doubling the power of Selfdestruct and Thunderbolt.

"R-Raichu!" Lt. Surge called. "I'm very impressed with your Raticate. Not many Pokemon can take a hit from both Selfdestruct and Raichu's Thunderbolt and still stand. I hope you don't feel too comfortable knowing that I only have Raichu left, while you still have three Pokemon. That will change very soon." he smirked. "Raichu, use Swift!" the Gym Leader commanded and Raichu swung its tail forward, releasing a wave of sharp stars.

"Raaaah!" Raticate cried.

"Raticate, use Hyper Fang!" Matt commanded, and Raticate leaped forward, and attempted to bite down on Raichu's long tail.

"Dodge it Raichu, and use Thunderbolt!" Surge shouted and Raichu flicked its tail to the left, just dodging the Hyper Fang.

"Raaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiichuuuuuu!" Raichu cried and released another powerful Thunderbolt, this time at close range.

"R-raataahhh..." Raticate moaned and fell over.

"Raticate is unable to battle, Raichu is the winner." the official called and waved his flag.

"Raticate, return." Matt said, calling his Pokemon back into its PokeBall.

"Two Pokemon left Mr. Crimson. I'm looking forward to this little trick you've got." Surge said.

"Well,... there is no sense in waiting... Go Diglett!" Matt said and tossed his PokeBall into the air.

"Diglett?" Surge asked with a surprised tone.

"Digda di digda di!" Diglett said as it appeared from the PokeBall, already half buried in the ground.

"This round of the battle will be fought between Lt. Surge's Raichu, and Matthew's Diglett. The battle will begin when Matthew Makes the first move." the referee said.

"Th-this is a very good trick, or strategy, or whatever you want to call it." Surge said, sounding a bit nervous. "Just remember, I am a Gym Leader, and Type advantages don't always work on us."

"I know, but it will sure help me." Matt said. "Diglett, use Dig!" he called and Diglett disappeared under the arena floor.

"Look out Raichu!" Lt. Surge cried.

"!" Raichu cried as the Ground Type Pokemon dug its way up from below the floor and crashed into Raichu. "L-lai.. raichaaaa..." Raichu panted.

"Now Raichu! Use Swift!" Surge commanded and Raichu flicked its tail, sending a spray of shining stars down on Diglett.

"D-digdaaah..." Diglett moaned.

"Use Dig again!" Matt commanded, and the Ground Pokemon disappeared once more.

"What? Not again!" Lt. Surge shouted.

"Chaaaaaa!" Raichu cried out in pain as Diglett dug back up through the floor. The attack sent Raichu flying upwards, and the Mouse Pokemon slammed into the ceiling, and then crashed back down on the ground. "R-rai..." it said, and then collapsed on the floor.

"Raichu is no longer able to battle, Diglett is the winner. The victory goes to Matthew Crimson of Pallet Town!" The referee called, and waved his flag.

"Raichu, return!" Surge called his Pokemon back, and then approached Matt.

"Comeback Diglett." Matt said and Diglett was put back into its PokeBall.

"Congratulations Matthew, you have triumphed over me, the Gym Leader of the Vermilion Gym. As proof of your victory, I present you with the Thunder Badge." the Gym Leader said and handed Matt a Gym Badge that resembled the sun. "Here is your money. Also, I'd like to present you with this TM. It contains the move Thunderbolt. It should come in handy later." the large man said and handed Matt the golden disk.

"Th-thank you s-sir!" Matt said, and his smile grew so wide that it almost hurt his face. "Uh, I gotta go call my mom!" he said and ran out of the Gym.

Matt then ran to the Vermilion City Pokemon Center and, after giving his PokeBalls to the nurse, he called up his mother and told her of the good news.

Reader's Response

I might be looking for a traveling partner for Matt in the next few chapters. Please submit a female OC around the ages of 9-12, and give them at the most three Pokemon, and a little background.


	28. You Are a Real Richard

Since Matt is starting to get more Pokemon, he will be starting to make party changes. From now on I will be listing Matt's party before each chapter begins.

Matt's Party: Bulbasaur, Raticate, Beedrill, Diglett, Mr. Mime, Spearow

* * *

Outside of Pallet Town

Chapter Twenty-Eight: You Are a Real Richard

"That is so great honey. I bet it was frustrating losing to him twice before like that." Matt's mother said through the screen on the video phone.

"Yeah, it was really frustrating. Then, when I went out to train for my second rematch, I saw the Legendary Bird, Moltres!" Matt exclaimed. He then quickly turned around to see if anyone had heard him, only to discover that the only other person in the hospital was the nurse, and she must've been back in the back dealing with his Pokemon.

"This sounds an awful lot like the time you saw Mew..." she said.

"Pr-Professor Oak told you about that?" Matt asked. "It doesn't matter. I may not have seen Mew that time, but I know it was Moltres. There isn't any other explanation."

"How about a Fearow that had just battled a Magmar and was flying away, while still being engulfed in its flames..." his brother said and walked up to the camera.

"Oh... hi Bryan..." Matt said. "I guess that could be a possible situation..."

"Sorry honey, but Bryan is probably right. I don't think there really is a Moltres, or even the other two." she said after Bryan walked away.

"B-but my PokeDex, it said it was Moltres..." Matt said sadly.

"Matt sweetheart, if your eyes deceived you, maybe the camera on the PokeDex did the same thing..." she said.

"I... guess so... Well, I'd better get going. I think I'll be heading East to Route 11, then head South on Route 12, catch the Fuchsia Gym." he said with a sigh.

"Alright honey, I'll talk to you later. Remember, you can call me anytime, not just after you win a badge." she said and the screen went blank.

"Great... Badges." Matt said, realizing that it had taken him more time than it should have to win the Thunder Badge. "Jenny started off way after Kayne and I, and she beat Surge days ago. I don't even wanna think about how far Kayne has progressed..." he said to himself.

"Here are your Pokemon Matt, all restored to full health." the nurse said and set Matt's PokeBalls on the sanitized counter top.

"Th-thank you." Matt said as he approached the counter, and then put his PokeBalls on his belt.

"No prob-" the young nurse started to say but was interrupted suddenly by a loud, crashing noise. "What was that?"

"It s-s-sounded like something fell from the sky!" Matt said and ran out of the Pokemon Center.

"Please, give me my Pokemon back!" a little girl was screaming up at a large, orange, ship-like machine with long white hoses.

"That's my Pokemon!" a young boy, around Matthew's age, screamed, pounding on the machine.

"Back away from the equipment kid. These hoses aren't wide enough to suck up a little munchkin like you, but if you don't quit bangin' on the metal, I can at least get your head up in one!" a mysterious voice called from inside the machine.

The machine suddenly turned around with, what appeared to be, the cockpits windshield facing Matt. This also revealed a large, red, letter "R" on the belly of the machine. "Team Rocket!" Matt called up in disgust.

"Oh, so you've heard of us little boy? Its always nice to meed an admirer of our work." the Team Rocket agent said.

"I'm no admirer." the boy said and spit at the ground. He grabbed on of the PokeBalls from his belt and threw it to release the Pokemon inside.

"Oh what a pity." the grunt said, and one of the machine's tubes sucked up the PokeBall before it could appear.

"No Beedrill!" Matt cried.

"Aww, was that your Beedrill?" the man asked. "That's too bad, because I really wanted something more powerful, like a Rhydon or even a Blastoise. Anyways, since you know who I work for, why not introduce myself a little more clearly. I am Richard. My friends call me Richard the Arcanine-hearted, or they would if I had friends."

"Well, I just th-think you're being a dick to all of these trainers!" Matt snapped. "If only I had Pikachu, I could give this guy a big jolt and send him outta here!" he thought to himself.

"Nice play on words there kiddo, I'll give you that." Richard the Rocket Grunt said and Matt grabbed another PokeBall off of his belt, and tried to push the button to release the Pokemon instead of tossing it this time. "Oh, do I see a little red and white?" Richard's voice called from inside the machine. One of the many white hoses sucked the PokeBall right out of his hand before he could press the button.

"Spearow!" Matt exclaimed as the tube sucked up his Normal and Flying Pokemon's ball. The machine then proceeded to suck up three more PokeBalls, and then tried for the last remaining one. "No, you aren't getting this last one!" he said, holding onto his last PokeBall as the hose's vacuum attempted to pull it in. The PokeBall then opened in Matt's hand, releasing the Pokemon inside.

"Mime mime, mista mime!" the Psychic Pokemon cried as it appeared in a flash of light.

"Mr. Mime eh? That's sounds like a very useful Pokemon for Team Rocket!" Richard said.

"M-M-Mr. Mime? It's a good thing you got out of your PokeBall! Okay, let's see what I can do with you." Matt said, thinking about the Barrier Pokemon's moves.

"Now Sandshrew, use Poison Sting!" a young, red haired girl with curls down to her shoulder's commanded. She was wearing a black dress with jean leggings, and a blue belt around her waist.

"Sand!" the Mouse Pokemon said and spit a round of toxic needles at Team Rocket's machine.

"Ha, do you really think that's gonna work little girl?" Richard said from inside.

"H-h-hey! Be careful! This guy is from Team Rocket and th-they can be dangerous!" Matt called to the girl. "Mr. Mime, why don't you try using Barrier?"

"I don't care who they are! If they are stealing Pokemon they need to be stopped!" the girl screamed.

"Mime!" Mr. Mime said and created an invisible wall of psychic energy around Richard's machine, causing all of the PokeBalls that were currently being sucked up to the tubes to fall to the ground.

"What? What is this?" Richard asked. The windshield of the machine opened, and a mechanical ramp extended out of it like a gray tongue. "You little... the Team Rocket grunt said, glaring at Matt as he jogged down the ramp. His uniform made him look like the other Team Rocket members that Matt had seen, and the only difference was that Richard had a long, blonde pony tail that was slung over his shoulder. "How dare you foil with Team Rocket's plans!"

"Now g-give me back my Pokemon!" Matt demanded.

"Go get'em Pidgey!" the red haired girl said, tossing a PokeBall. The Pidgey then flew through the Barrier and began hitting Richard with glowing wings.

"Both of you are going to pay!" Richard screamed and tossed a PokeBall into the air. A long, light purple snake-like Pokemon appeared from the flash of light. "Now Ekans, use Bite on that dreadful flying rat!"

"Chaabo!" Ekans cried and sprang forward, towards the Pidgey with its jaws wide open.

"Use Confusion!" Matt commanded suddenly and Mr. Mime conjured a ball of psychic energy and sent it flying at Ekans. The Poison Pokemon was blasted by the psychic energy, and collapsed on the ground.

"Ch-chaaaa..." Ekans cried.

"D-dammit!" Richard cried.

"Mime mime, mista mime!" Mr. Mime began to chant, and then began to waggle its fingers back and fourth.

"Th-that looks l-like Metronome!" Matt exclaimed. "That must be one of the moves your old master taught you!"

"Mime!" Mr. Mime cried and a powerful blast of fire in a shape similar to a star shot from its body, and slammed into the machine, causing it to explode.

"B-b-but that machine... Sakaki is going to kill me!" Richard screamed. "Now I'm really gonna get you!" he said, pulling a GreatBall from his belt.

"No you don't, use Whirlwind!" the girl commanded and Pidgey began flapping its wings at a high speed.

"Poppoppoppoppowwww!" the Normal and Flying Type cried.

"N-no!" Richard shouted as he was swept off of his feet and tossed into the air. "I will get my revenge on you kids!" he cried as both he and his Ekans flew away into the air.

"Well... that takes care of that... I guess..." Matt said. "She probably should've waited for the police to take care of him..." he then thought to himself.

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you so much for saving my Pidgey from that awful man!" the little girl said. Matt turned to look for her, only to find that she was hugging him at the waist.

"Pu-pu-pu-pu-please g-g-get off of m-me!" Matt said, pushing the girl to the side, and then taking several steps back.

"Wow, you have beautiful eyes!" the girl said as she stared up at Matt from the ground.

"Th-thank y-y-you..." Matt said, giving the girl a strange look.

"My name is Jillian." the girl said, holding out her hand.

"M-my name is Matthew..." he said, staring at her hand but not making a move. "Umm... I gotta go." he said and put Mr. Mime back in its PokeBall.

"What do you mean? I have to thank you for what you did for me!" Jillian said, trying to hug him again.

"P-please don't do that. I'm n-not very good around girls..." Matt said, shyly, taking several more steps backwards.

"Aww! A shy guy! I love shy, sensitive men!" she said with a giggle.

Matt stared at her for a moment, utterly silent, and then looked over at her Pidgey. "Umm, I think your Pidgey's evolving." he said, and when she turned to look, he ran as fast as he could towards Route 11.

"Is it really?" she asked when she turned. "Oh wow you're right! You are evolving Pidgey!" Jillian said. "Wait? Matthew, where did you go?" she asked.

By the time Jillian had realized that Matt had ditched her, he was already almost all the way to Route 11. "Th-that was weird. I would rather be around Jenny all day then with her." he said, but little did the young Pokemon trainer know, his worst nightmare had begun to track him down.


	29. A Big Problem

Matt's Party: Bulbasaur, Raticate, Beedrill, Mr. Mime, Diglett, Spearow

* * *

Outside of Pallet Town

Chapter Twenty-Nine: A Big Problem

Several hours of traveling East on Route 11 lead our hero straight to the Route 11-12 checkpoint. It was a tall, brown building with windows surrounding the perimeter of the top floor. Matthew walked inside of the building, only to find a large crowd near the back entrance, the one leading out to Route 12. "Please, I need to get to Lavender! My nephew's birthday party is starting in about an hour! His mother will kill me if I'm late again this year!" a man in a dark gray business suit said.

"I'm sorry people, but until we can get rid of the obstruction, no one is allowed to cross the bridge!" a female police officer with curly, indigo hair said. "At the moment, nothing we do seems to work. Not even our heavy-lifting equipment."

"N-no one can cross?" Matt asked quietly.

"Yeah, it seems some kind of giant Pokemon tumbled down from the mountains a few days ago. The silly thing fell asleep right in the intersection of the bridge, and now no one can go up or down Route 12." an old man answered Matt's question.

"Oh! Oh r-really? A Pokemon?" Matt asked the man, startled that he had even heard his question.

"Yes, though I'm not really sure what the thing is... I know I've heard of it before... Dang it, what was that thing called? Snowmunch? Sleepex? Snore-, Snorlax! That's it! It's a Snorlax!" the man exclaimed after solving his own mystery.

"Sn-Snorlax, eh?" Matt said, pulling out his PokeDex and opening it to the Pokemon's page. The PokeDex revealed the image of a large, dark green Pokemon with a very round body and a cream colored stomach. "Snorlax, the Sleeping Pokemon. Very lazy, just eats and sleeps. As its rotund bulk builds, it becomes steadily more slothful." the device said in an artificial voice.

"That's a pretty nifty gadget there kiddy, what'ya call it?" the old man asked.

"It's a P-PokeDex. Someone gave it to me when I started my Pokemon Journey." he answered, being careful not to mention the professor's name to avoid more attention.

"A... Pokemon trainer!" the old man shouted. "Hey, everyone! This kid here is a Pokemon trainer!"

"N-n-no! Please no, don't tell them that! Don't point me out to everyone!" Matt said, trying to quiet the man. He then noticed a staircase, and immediately ran up it, trying to avoid everyone's attention. The top floor of the checkpoint was much quieter than the floor below. Through the many windows, he could see far out, not only all the way back to Vermilion City, but across the ocean as well.

"You look familiar kid, do I know you?" a man wearing round glasses and a lab coat asked Matt. He had been sitting on one of the plain white couches.

"I d-d-don't know s-sir." Matt said.

"Yes, I'm certain of it. Wait... you're from Pallet Town. Yes, I'm sure of it now! You're Little Verdant!" the man said.

"Little Verdant?" Matt asked, knowing who the man had confused him with.. "N-no sir... I am not Kayne Oak..." he said.

"You're not? I could've sworn you were him. He was always playing with that Crimson kid, and well, you look just like Verdant." he said.

"Umm, s-sir... my last name is Crimson..." Matt said.

"Really? You're Matthew Crimson? I must've gotten you kids confused." he said with a laugh. "Say Matthew, how many Pokemon have you captured?"

Matt began to count all of his Pokemon on his fingers. "Not counting evolved forms... ten I guess." he said.

"Ten? Why that's the perfect number! Professor Oak told me to give you this if you or his grandson had caught at least ten Pokemon!" the man said, and pulled a disk out of his pocket.

"A TM?" the boy asked.

"Not a TM, an HM!" he said, handing the hidden move to Matthew.

"An HM? D-does this mean I need it for s-some sort of P-Pokemon League challenge?" the boy asked.

"That is what the Hidden Moves are made for kid." the scientist said. "So, since you are here, to which town were you headed?"

"To F-Fuchsia City. I h-hope to ch-challenge the Gym Leader th-there." Matt said.

"Well that sleeping Pokemon out on the bridge may be a problem. Though, if you could possibly do something,... maybe people could get across again." the scientist said.

"Maybe I could attack it, wake it up, and m-make it leave. I could even ca-catch it!" Matt said, and ran back down stairs.

"That could work." the man said as Matt ran down the short flight of stairs.

"There he is! There is the trainer!" the crowd shouted.

"Y-yeah. Hello. W-would y-you m-mind if I tr-tr-tried to get r-rid of that Snorlax?" Matt asked.

"Yes! That is what we've been waiting for, a strong trainer to rid of us of that giant Snorlax!" the policewoman said. "There was one other trainer a few days ago, be he said that he had better things to do."

"I may have an idea on who that was." he whispered to himself. "W-well, I need to get t-t-to Fuchsia, so I c-can probably help you out." Matt said to the policewoman and the rest of the crowd.

"Finally! Now maybe I can make it to the party on time!" the man with the nephew in Lavender Town said.

"Okay, wh-where is the Snorlax?" Matt asked, and the uniformed woman lead him out the backside of the checkpoint. They stepped outside onto Route 12 to find the large, bear-like Pokemon sleeping perfectly in the intersection of the bridge that linked Fuchsia, Vermilion, and Lavender.

"Snorrrrrrrrrr..." the Sleeping Pokemon snored, causing the wooden bridge to shake with a fury.

"There you are trainer, what do you intend to do?" the policewoman asked.

"I d-don't think I have any awakenings, s-so I'll just have to b-battle it to wake it up." Matt said, reaching down to his belt. "W-wait a second! Wh-where are my PokeBall?" he exclaimed, discovering that all of his PokeBalls were missing but one. "This isn't good! This isn't good!"

"What do you mean? You are a trainer aren't you?" the officer asked him.

"Y-yes, but earlier Team Rocket attacked me, and attempted to steal my PokeBalls. Somehow I must've gotten distra-... oh." he said, and suddenly remembered the reason he had forgotten to pick up his PokeBalls. "Th-that... girl... I must've left them back in Vermilion City."

"Oh, so do you have any Pokemon with you?" she asked.

"Yeah... Mr. Mime should be the only Pokemon I have." he said, pulling the PokeBall from his belt and enlarging it. "Maybe I should run back and get the other PokeBalls..."

"No! Please, can't you just use your Mr. Mime to get rid of that roadblock?" the policewoman asked.

"I r-really think I should get my other P-Poke-" Matt started to say.

"It won't take a second! Mr. Mime should be able to do it in a jiffy right? All I have is my Growlith, and it can't do anything against Snorlax's defensive power." she said.

"Oh... okay m-maybe I can d-do it real quick..." Matt said, and stood towards the Pokemon. "Go Mr. Mime, use Confusion!" he said, tossing his PokeBall into the air.

"Mime mime, mista mime!" the Barrier Pokemon said and released a blast of psychic energy, which ended up just bouncing of of Snorlax's blubbery body.

"Well, that didn't work very well, did it?" the police officer said, taking off her hat and using her palm to shade her eyes from the sun as she gazed up at the flying ball of psychic energy.

"Y-yeah... I need to try something else..." he said, and thought for a second. "Okay, Mr. Mime. Use Metronome!"

"Mime mime, mime mime, mime mime!" Mr. Mime sang as it wagged its fingers back and forth. "Mime!" it cried, and began to release a light blue powder that drifted down to Snorlax.

"What was that?" Matt asked.

"Sl-Sleep Powder? That wouldn't be any help either..." the policewoman said.

"Sleep Powder? Th-that's not r-right. Try it again Mr. Mime, use Metronome!" he commanded, and Mr. Mime began to waggle its fingers once again. This time, red circles of energy came from Mr. Mime's eyes, and drifted over to Snorlax's head.

"And that one is Hypnosis..." she said, placing her hand to her face.

"Hypnosis? Wh-what is that?" Matt asked.

"Another move that is meant to put the opponent to sleep." she said.

"This... is just pl-plain stupid..." Matt said.

"Can't your Mr. Mime use any other moves? What Level trainer are you?" the policewoman asked. "A high level trainer should be able to handle any Pokemon no matter what Pokemon they are using."

"Level Tw- Three..." Matt said, remembering the Thunder Badge tucked away in his vest.

"That explains it..." she said. "Well, I don't know what else you can do with your Mr. Mime. Maybe... maybe it would just be better if we called in a professional trainer." the policewoman said, crushing Matt's spirits. "I know, I'll call Joel!"

"Return Mr. Mime." Matt said, bringing his Pokemon back into its pocket. "B-b-b-b-but how am I supposed to get to Fuchsia City?" he asked.

"Oh, Mr. Crimson, you're still here? I thought you'd have cleared out that Snorlax and been on your way to Fuchsia by now." the scientist from the top floor of the checkpoint said, coming up behind him.

"He wasn't able to get rid of the blockage." the policewoman answered for him.

"Well that's unfortunate. The only way you'd be able to get to Fuchsia now... is if you went all the way home, traveled to Cinnabar, and then to Fuchsia. It take you a few months to do that. Plus, you'd need to have Surf." the scientist said.

"A f-few months?" Matt said, suddenly grimacing.

"Or, you could just go to Celadon City." the scientist said.

"Celadon? Why would I go there? Do they have a Gym?" Matt asked.

"Yes, but to get there without going up Route 12,... you'd have to go through Rock Tunnel. The problem with that is... it hasn't been developed by humans much yet, and its completely dark. Its nearly impossible to navigate without some sort of super bright light, or..."

"Or Flash." the scientist said.

"Flash?" Matt asked.

"It's a Pokemon move that completely illuminates the inside of a cave, as well as drastically reducing an opponents ability. It's found in HM05, the very Hidden Machine I gave you a few minutes ago." the scientist explained.

"Really? So... where is Rock Tunnel?" the boy asked.

"Just head on up Route 5 towards Cerulean City, but instead of going into the city, head East on Route 9, then South on Route 10. That should lead you straight to Rock Tunnel." the policewoman said.

"Okay, th-thanks!" Matt said, and ran out of the checkpoint, back towards Vermilion City.

"Now I'll just get my Pokemon back, and head to the Celadon Gym. I wonder what Type the Gym Leader specializes in?" he thought to himself.

"Pijooooooon!" a loud, high pitched scream cried from the sky. Matt looked up to see a Pidgeotto swoop down in front of him.

"Pidgeotto, the Bird Pokemon. It is the evolved form of Pidgey. Very protective of its sprawling territory. This Pokemon will fiercely peck at any intruder." the PokeDex said in its voice.

"Jaaa, jaaaan!" the Pidgeotto called, and Matt noticed a bag tied around its neck.

"Is this for me?" he asked the Pokemon. When it nodded, he looked inside and found five familiar PokeBalls. "These... are mine!"

"Yeah, I thought you'd need them. You ran away without even thinking about your poor Pokemon." a girl with long, red curls said as she approached Matt.

"Y-y-y-you?" Matt stuttered.

"Oh! I thought I'd never see you again!" Jillian said, running up to him and squeezing him tight.

Due to a major inconvenience, Matt can no longer travel to Fuchsia City like had planned, and now has to travel through the blackness of Rock Tunnel to get to the city of Celadon. What will he see on the way, and what is he going to do about this girl?


	30. Battle in the Tunnel

Matt's Party: Bulbasaur, Raticate, Beedrill, Mr. Mime, Diglett, Spearow

* * *

Outside of Pallet Town

Chapter Thirty: Battle in the Tunnel

"So,...you are heading to Celadon City? That is so cool!" Jillian said, tagging close behind Matt.

"Y-yes. Why is th-that so cool?" he asked, still looking forward. The girl had been followed him all the way back down Route 11, through Vermilion, and now into the Underground Tunnel.

"Umm, 'cause it is! I love Pokemon trainer's so freaking much! Can I see your Badges?" she asked, quickly jogging in front of Matt and then turning around.

Matt quickly turned his head to avoid looking into the girls eyes. "I've already sh-shown them to you three times. D-don't you think th-that's enough?" he asked. "B-besides, you've got your own P-Pokemon, why don't you g-get your own Badges?"

"Well, I'm not that kind of a trainer. I don't really like to battle. My Pokemon are just for protection as I travel around." she said.

Matt suddenly stopped walking, and turned to the girl, looking her straight in the face. "Wait, why are you following me?" he asked sternly.

"Well,... you know... To research you." she said, fluttering her eyelashes.

"R-research me?" Matt asked, suddenly very disturbed. He began walking again, this time much faster. His footsteps echoed off the stone walls of the tunnel.

"Yeah, I'm trying to get a job at the Fuchsia Pidgeot. They said they'd give me an internship if I sent in a good story about an exceptional Pokemon trainer." Jillian explained, trying to keep up with the boy.

"Fuch-Fuchsia Pidgeot? You m-mean the newspaper?" Matt asked, speeding up even more, almost to a run.

"Yup, that's the one." she said.

"Wh-why would you want t-to research me? If y-you're looking for an exc-exceptional tr-trainer, shouldn't you re-research someone else? Like with m-more Badges, or a Gym trainer?" Matt asked, slowing his pace, trying to understand this girls interest in him.

"You saved me from that Rocket dude, or whatever he was. Why wouldn't I want to research you. Plus, I think it would be much more interesting to write something on a traveling trainer, since they have such a diverse experience in their travels." Jillian said, now walking side-by-side with the trainer.

"B-b-but why me? There are so many other trainers that you could be following around." he said.

"'Cause I think you're interesting. Plus,... I think you're kinda cute." Jillian said with a giggle.

"Okay! That's enough!" Matt shouted, and ran at full speed to the other end of the tunnel, hoping to leave the girl behind.

"Matt? Is that you?" a familiar voice called to him from up ahead. "Oh, it is you. How have you been?" a teenage girl approached him from out of the darkness.

"Sh-Sheridan!" Matt exclaimed, and ran behind her. "Please get this crazy girl away from me!"

"What girl?" she asked, looking into the distance of the dark passage way. "Oh, she's so cute! Is she your girlfriend?" Sheridan asked after Jillian came into view.

"G-g-girlfriend? Heck no!" he shouted.

"Hello there little girl. What's your name?" Sheridan asked her as she approached.

"My name is Jillian. Why is Matt holding onto your waist?" the little girl asked.

"Oh, he's just a little shy. He seems to be a little afraid of you, so maybe you should just give him some space. I'm sure he'll warm up to you eventually." Sheridan told her.

"Th-that's highly unlikely." Matt whispered to himself.

"So, how many Badges do you have so far?" the teenage girl asked Matt.

"Three." he said, showing Sheridan the two Badges she knew about, as well as his new Thunder Badge.

"Oh, I thought in the amount of time since you've left Misty's Gym you would've at least had five..." Sheridan said. "But that's not the point I guess. Hey, I just recently caught a new Pokemon, and its around the strength for a Level Three trainer. How would you like a battle?"

"Its n-not a Gyarados... is it?" Matt asked, the image of the horrifying, Atrocious Pokemon appeared in his mind.

"No, no. Its not a Gyarados." she said. "So, how about it? It's just be a one-on-one, and we don't even have to set a bet."

"It s-sounds great, but I do want a bet. It wouldn't feel right without a bet. Does ¥2000 sound good?" Matt suggested, getting pumped up for the battle.

"¥2000 sounds great." she said, pulling out a GreatBall.

"This is going to be so awesome! It'll give me tons of new stuff for my story!" Jillian giggled.

"Ready Matt?" she asked, and the boy nodded. "Okay then, go!" Sheridan said, tossing the GreatBall into the air.

The GreatBall opened, releasing a brilliant blue flash of light. "Draaaah!" the light blue Pokemon said said when it appeared.

"_Seadra, the Dragon Pokemon. Capable of swimming backwards by rapidly flapping its wing-like pectoral fins and stout tail_." the PokeDex stated.

"Seadra huh. I had better go with you!" Matt said, tossing his PokeBall into the air.

"Saur!" Bulbasaur cried as it appeared from the flash of white light.

"Oh, I remember that Bulbasaur! I'm surprised it still hasn't evolved." Sheridan said. "Well, you've the first move Matt."

"Okay Bulbasaur, use Poison Powder!" Matt commanded, and Bulbasaur began shaking the seed on its back, releasing a cloud of fine, purple dust that drifted over to Seadra.

"Drahdrahdrah!" the Water Pokemon started to cough, spitting up thick black ink. The attack had poisoned Seadra.

"Wasting no time, eh? Seadra, use BubbleBeam!" Sheridan commanded, and the Pokemon shot a stream of powerful bubbles at Bulbasaur.

Bulbasaur stood firm as the bubbles struck its face, doing barely any damage. "Use Leech Seed!" Matt shouted, and Bulbasaur launched several seeds onto Seadra, immediately sprouting into a health leeching plant that surrounded the Dragon Pokemon.

"Ice Beam!" Sheridan commanded, and Seadra reared its head back, ready to launch the super effective Ice Type move.

"Dodge it fast Bulbasaur!" Matt commanded. "Then use Vine Whip!"

"Saur!" Bulbasaur cried, and struck the ground with its vines, sending it upwards, avoiding the attack. "Bulba!" it cried after avoiding the attack, and then slammed its vines into the Water Pokemon, doing massive damage.

"Draaaaaah!" Seadra moaned.

"Ice Beam!" Sheridan commanded, and Seadra reared back once more, preparing to launch the attack.

"Dodge it Bulbasaur, and use Vine Whip again!" Matt commanded.

"Seeee!" Seadra cried, and launched the Ice Type move.

"Bulbaaaaaaaa!" Bulbasaur cried as the Ice Beam struck its belly area, instantly freezing it.

"Bulbasaur!" Matt called to the Pokemon.

"Bul... saur..." Bulbasaur moaned, completely immobile.

"Try to use Vine Whip!" he commanded, but the ice had covered its lower body all the way up to where Bulbasaur's vines were hidden.

"Ice Beam again!" Sheridan called, and Bulbasaur took direct damage from the attack, doing critical damage.

"Bul... saur..." the Pokemon panted.

"Come on Bulbasaur, break free!" Matt called. "Use Vine Whip!

Bul... baaaaaa... saur!" Bulbasaur cried, releasing an enormous amount of energy, freeing itself from the ice. "Bulbasaur!" it cried again, and began to shake the seed on its back. Instead of its long vines flying from its body, hundreds of tiny, sharp leaves flew out from under it, slicing into Seadra.

"Th-that's Razor Leaf!" Matt exclaimed.

"Oh that is so cool!" Jillian screamed, and started to jot something down on a notepad.

"Draah... sea..." the Dragon Pokemon said, and then fell forward.

"Return Seadra!" Sheridan said, holding out the Pokemon's GreatBall. "You were fantastic. I really thought we were going to win there!"

"Bulbasaur! We did it!" Matt said, running to his Pokemon and then kneeling at its side. He began hugging the Pokemon tightly, to thank it for their victory.

"Bulba, bulbasaur!" the Pokemon said, and then its entire body began to glow with a white light, just as Matt released his grip.

"Oh my!" Sheridan and Jillian said in unison.

"Bul-Bulbasaur?" Matt asked as his Pokemon began to grow and change shape before his eyes.

"Saur! Ivysaur!" the greenish Pokemon said. The seed on Bulbasaur's back had opened up into a flower that looked like it may bloom at any moment.

"Ivysaur! You evolved!" Matt cried, and began hugging his Pokemon again. "You are so awesome Ivysaur! With you by my side, there is absolutely no way we can lose at the next Gym."

"Congratulation Matt, not only for the battle, but for having your Pokemon evolve." the girl said, handing Matt the money he had won.

"Thanks Sheridan!" Matt said, placing the money where it belonged.

"I knew I made the right choice to write my story on you! That battle was hot!" Jillian said.

"I don't know how it could be so hot if most of the floor is covered in ice right now." Sheridan said, giving a short chuckle. "Well, thanks for a _cool_ battle there Matt. I've gotta head to Vermilion Harbor, so I'll see you later okay."

"Yeah, see ya Sheridan. Thanks for that battle!" he called to her as she walked down the tunnel.

"_Ivysaur, the Seed Pokemon. When the bulb on its back grows too large, it appears to lose the ability to stand on its hind legs_." the PokeDex said in its electronic voice.

"Whoever the next Gym Leader I challenge is, they had better get ready, 'cause here I come!" Matt said, gripping Ivysaur's PokeBall tightly and then running out of the man-made tunnel. Ivysaur and Jillian followed close behind.

Sorry about the delay, but there has been some sort of glitch in the system and I haven't been able to update.

In other news, my father has wiped his entire computer, the one that I had all my OPT data saved on, and I have lost all my data on Matt, so now I have no clue what items he is carrying, or even how much money he has. What I will have to do is just go back through and re-read my story and try to come up with it the best that I can.


	31. A Monstrous Appearance

Matthew's Party: Ivysaur, Raticate, Beedrill, Mr. Mime, Diglett, Spearow

* * *

Outside of Pallet Town

Chapter Thirty-One: A Monstrous Appearance

"There it is!" Matt exclaimed, and ran up to a little cottage sitting in the middle of Route 5. He ran past the spot where he had encountered Abra, the gate to the house, and then to the front door. "Hello? Anyone there?" he called while knocking.

"What are we doing here?" the girl asked.

"Hello, how can I help you?" an older man asked, opening the door to his cottage.

"Mr. Alvin, I'm here for my Magikarp." Matt said.

"Oh, yes. You are Matthew right? Cm' in, cm' in!" the man said, lead them through the house, and then out to his back yard and a pond. "Your Magikarp is right back here." he said, pointing to the pond. Several of the golden-orange Fish Pokemon were swimming around. A young boy, around Matthew's age, was sitting at the edge of the pond looking down in. "Jesse, what do you think? Are you ready to take yours back yet?"

"Oh, hey Mr. Alvin. Yeah, I think I'll take it back. Mine looks like the toughest out of the school!" the young boy, wearing white shorts and a black t-shirt said. He had short blonde hair and a very thin chin.

"I didn't know you had a Magikarp, Matt." Jillian said, but Matt ignored her once again.

"S-so you've got a M-Magikarp too?" Matt asked the boy.

"If you can even call it a Magikarp. My Pokemon is so strong, it could be compared to a Seaking! When it evolves into a Gyarados, I'll be the strongest Trainer to ever come from Cerulean!" Jesse said.

"Y-your Magikarp is th-that strong?" Matt asked.

"Now I would have to disagree. I've been training Matthew's Magikarp for several months now, it is has leveled up faster than any Magikarp I've ever raised. I would bet a large sum that you're Pokemon are about even, or Matt's is stronger." Alvin stated.

"No way! I've been coming here everyday to check on my Magikarp, and I know that it is the strongest!" the boy said, almost starting a tantrum.

"Well, there is a way to settle this." Jillian said.

"I d-d-d-don't know Jillian. I've n-never battled using M-M-Magikarp for real. All it could use b-b-before was Splash..." Matt said.

"The only reason someone would give an excuse is if they were scared. What are you, a 'fraidy Meowth?" Jesse asked, taunting him.

"'Fraidy Meowth?" Matt asked, and his fist suddenly started to tighten.

"Yeah. Your Magikarp is so weak, there is no way it could win, and you know it. You're too afraid to battle me!" the boy said.

"I'll battle you!" Matt said, turning to Mr. Alvin. "Is it okay if we battle right here, in the pond?" he asked the old man.

"I've no problem with it. Just let me put the other Pokemon away." Alvin said, and went back into his house. He reappeared five minutes later with several PokeBalls. "Okay, go ahead now." he said after putting all of the Pokemon in their PokeBalls.

"I feel so bad for you, that I'm not gonna even set a bet! Let's just get this battle started. Maybe my Magikarp will even evolve from this!" Jesse said.

"Right!" Matt said, and looked down at the pond where his Magikarp was swimming around carelessly. "Magikarp! Get ready! We are gonna battle this guy!"

"Karp karp magikarp!" the Pokemon said, and started paying attention to its master.

"Let's see who goes first!" Jesse said, tossing a coin into the air. "I call heads!" he said, and then the coin landed in his hand. "Haha, heads. Looks like I got the first move!"

"Ok-kay,..." Matt said, and stood ready to react.

"Now Magikarp, use Tackle!" Jesse commanded and the boys Magikarp leaped out of the water, throwing itself at Matthew's Magikarp.

"Magikarp! Get out of the way!" Matt called to his Magikarp.

"Karp!" Magikarp cried, and dove underwater. Jesse's Magikarp skipped over the surface of the water before descending.

"H-how did your Magikarp move th-that fast?" Jesse asked, trying to keep his jaw from sagging.

"Wow!" Jillian said with a huge grin on her face. "Your Pokemon is incredible Matt!" she cheered, causing the boy to blush.

"Well,... Mr. Alvin was the one who trained it for me." Matt said. "Now, use your Tackle!" he commanded, and the Fish Pokemon swam at an incredible speed, slamming into the other Magikarp.

"Karp kaaaaaaarp!" Jesse's Magikarp cried as it was shot out of the water, landing on the shore in front of its master.

"What? No!" the boy cried, looking down at his Pokemon.

"Hehe, looks like Matt won!" Mr. Alvin said, taking a PokeBall out of his pocket. "C'mon back lil' fella." he said, putting Jesse's Magikarp back into its PokeBall.

"H-how could it lose after just one hit?" Jesse asked, falling to his knees.

"'Cause Matty is awesome!" Jillian said.

"I told you, Mr. Alvin raised my Magikarp, so I'm not awesome, and pl-please never call me Matty again..." he said to the girl.

"It just doesn't make sense. My Magikarp was here months before any of the others showed up,... how could it have bea-" Jesse tried to make sense of things, but he was interrupted by a blinding flash.

"Kaaaaaaaaaaaarrr!" the glowing Magikarp cried as it splashed around in the water.

"Th-that can't be!" Matt cried.

"This is gonna be awesome!" Jillian giggled.

"This might be a problem..." Mr. Alvin said.

The glowing Pokemon began to grow in size, and change in shape until it was over twenty feet in length. "Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" the large, blue, dragon-like Pokemon cried.

"No... way..." Jesse said, and ran away as quickly as he could.

"Gyraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Gyarados cried as it began to thrash about, carving a trench as it wriggled its way out of the pond. Matt just stared up at his Pokemon as it crashed past him.

"Matthew! Here's your PokeBall! Put Gyarados in it quick!" Mr. Alvin said. Matt continued to stare at the Atrocious Pokemon as it rampaged North, towards Cerulean. "Snap out of it kid!" he said, shaking the young trainer.

"Wha? Huh?" Matt asked, looking around.

Mr. Alvin shoved Gyarados's PokeBall into the boys hand. "Quickly! Call it back before it destroys the city!" he cried.

"Wait? Why me? Why can't you just do it like you did for that kids Magikarp?" Matt asked, trying to force the PokeBall back into Alvin's possession.

"Because _that _is a Gyarados! It is one of the world hardest Pokemon to train, and will never respect you as a trainer if you have someone else put it away!" Alvin screamed.

Matt took the PokeBall firmly into his hand, looked at Mr. Alvin, then at his Pokemon and nodded. He ran off towards the monstrous Pokemon, with Jillian and the old man following as fast as they could.

"Gyarados! Wait up!" Matt called to his Pokemon, but the leviathan ignored him. "Listen to my Gyarados! Its me, your trainer!" he called to it, still without any recognition. Finally, he just ran ahead of the dual Water and Flying Pokemon and stood in front of it. "Gyarados, stop!" he shouted, holding his PokeBall out in front of him.

"Gyraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Gyarados screeched in anger and fired a blast of violet energy from its mouth at Matt. Matt was hurled at least fifteen feet backwards, and landed in some brush.

"Matt!" Jillian screamed and ran up to him.

"I'm... okay." he said, stood up, and then ran back after Gyarados. "Come back Gyara-" he called, and then looked up to the edge of a cliff. "Gyarados, look out!" he cried, seeing several boulders falling from up above.

"Gyraaa?" the Pokemon snarled, and then looked up. "Gyraaaaaaaaaaaa!" it screeched as two of the boulders slammed into its side.

"Geo geodude!" the boulders cried, and seemed to come alive and scurry away.

"Those are Geodude!" Matt cried, and ran up to Matt's side. "Don't worry! Nothing is going to happen to you on my watch!" he shouted, trying to shield Gyarados from the Pokemon, knowing that the Flying Type was weak against them.

"Gy- gyraaa?" the Pokemon looked down at its trainer as Geodude after Geodude slammed into him. "Gyraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Gyarados screeched in an extreme anger and fired another blast of violet energy, just as a much larger Rock Type Pokemon began to tumble down the cliff.

Matt awoke sometime later in a clean bed with white sheets. "Oh! Your awake!" Jillian said. She had been sitting at his bed side.

"Wh-where am I?" the boy asked.

"You're in the Cerulean Hospital. After you tried to protect Gyarados from all those Rock Pokemon, Gyarados wanted to protect you from a giant one that was just about to fall and crush you." the girl said with a sickening sweet smile.

"Gyarados protected me?" Matt asked.

"It must've saw how much you cared about it, and wanted to protect it. I think it trusts you as its trainer now!" she said.

Matt suddenly sat upright out of the bed. "Where's Gyarados? Is it okay?" he asked.

"Gyarados is fine! Its being checked out by the nurses at the Pokemon Center right now." she said, pushing the boy down into bed.

"I need to go check on it!" Matt said, trying to fight the girl to get up.

"No! The nurse said you need to get your rest. You'll get to see Gyarados in a few days!" Jillian said. "Now here, drink your milk."

"Fine..." Matt frowned and sipped at his milk through a straw.

The weak little Magikarp that Matt had been tricked into buying for ¥500 has now evolved into an ultra-powerful Gyarados. Even though it now seems that the Pokemon trusts him, will the young trainer be able to handle its temper? Hold onto your chair and just you wait to find out in the next chapter of OUTSIDE OF PALLET TOWN!


	32. A Rocky Start to the Tunnel

Matt's Party: Ivysaur, Beedrill, Mr. Mime, Diglett, Spearow, and Gyarados

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Two: A Rocky Start to the Tunnel

After spending nearly two weeks in the hospital, recovering from a few bruised ribs and a small fracture in his arm, Matthew left the hospital, and headed straight to the Pokemon Center, to retrieve his newly evolved Gyarados. "Alright, Rock Tunnel, here I come!" the boy said, stepping out of the Pokemon Center, clutching one of his PokeBalls in his right fist.

"Wait, you're leaving already?" Jillian asked, but Matt ignored her, and started walking East. "But... you just got out of the hospital!"

Matt continued to ignore the girl, and headed in the direction of Route 10, which was supposed to lead him to to to Rock Tunnel would ultimately lead him to Celadon City, where he would fight for his next badge. He clutched the ball even tighter, and increased his pace.

"Matt! Wait up please! You aren't ready to go out yet!" Jillian called after him.

Matt turned around quickly, and faced the girl, looking her straight in the eyes. "Okay, tell me how _you _know I'm not ready." he said, suddenly very angry.

"Umm... well..." Jillian said, trying to think of what to say.

"I've been scared my entire life, and now that I'm a Pokemon trainer, its been even worse. So many challenges, and dangers, I'd be a fool not to be afraid, but I don't want to be! I see now that the only way my Pokemon will truly trust me, is if I can protect them, and I don't mean just from battles. I need to be able to fight for them, just as they can fight for me!" Matt said very sternly to Jillian. "That is why, from here on, I'm going to be training along with my Pokemon. You can come along if you'd like, but that's your choice, not mine. I managed to get my first three badges by myself, so I know for a fact that I don't need anyone but myself and my Pokemon, but you are welcome to accompany if you would like."

"Oh... kay..." Jillian said, almost shocked at this sudden change in Matthew.

"Okay? Alright then, I'm going this way. Follow me if you want." he said, and continued off to the East.

The two trainers traveled for nearly two hours before reaching the rocky ledges of Route 10. "How... are we going to get up there?" Jillian asked, fiddling around with her PokeBalls, deciding which of her Pokemon would be most useful to traverse the terrain.

"Like this!" Matt said, and grabbed a hold of the rocky wall, and began pulling himself up.

"Wh-whoa..." Jillian said, and attempted to follow the boy.

"Come on already. If you're gonna be traveling with me, you're gonna have to keep up!" Matt said, and Jillian pushed herself a little harder, making her way up the wall. "Good, now lets get a move on!"

"R-right..." Jillian said, almost realizing that she was starting to sound like Matt herself. "How far is it to Rock Tunnel?"

"How should I know?" Matt asked without looking back.

"Wait, are you telling me that we started out and you don't even know how long its going to take us? Do you even know where we are going?" the girl asked.

"Of course I know where we are going. I told you, Rock Tunnel." Matt said, giving a quick grin.

Jillian slapped her forehead with her hand, and began to rub her temples. "I meant, do you know the way?" she asked.

"No clue. I just know we're supposed to go East on 10." Matt said. "A real trainer doesn't need directions."

"Even Bruno needs maps!" Jillian said in an outburst, referencing the powerful Fighting Pokemon master of the Indigo Plateau.

"Well, I'm not Bruno am I?" Matt said. "I don't plan on being a member of the Elite Four, I plan on becoming the champion, just like my mother wants!"

"I guess..." Jillian said with a sigh.

"Alright, let's move! Sakaki wants us there by 1:25 sharp!" the two trainers heard a suspicious conversation from down under a rocky drop.

"Sakaki?" Matt asked himself, recognizing the name.

Jillian and Matthew crept closer to the cliff, and peered down at two men, dressing a black uniform with a red letter "R" across their chest were speaking. The girl looked over at Matt to see both of his fists clenching up.

"Calm down Matt!" Jillian said in a hushed whisper.

"Team Rocket!" Matt shouted, alerting the two grunts.

"What th-" one of the grunts exclaimed. "We've been spotted!" he shouted and ran away.

"You pussy!" the other grunt called after him. "Well, well, well. It looks like a couple of kiddies have stumbled upon our plans."

"What plans?" Jillian asked.

"Oh, good, you didn't overhear them. But don't think I'm going to be like some stereotypical criminal and tell you the plans." the grunt said.

"I wasn't planning on it!" Matt said, grabbing a PokeBall from his belt and tossing it into the air. "Let's go!"

"Speeeeee!" Beedrill exclaimed as it burst from the pocket in a flash of light.

"Oh, so you want a battle with me?" the Rocket grunt asked, pulling a GreatBall from under his hat. "You're pretty cute kid, thinking he can go up against an adult, especially an adult from the legendary Team Rocket!" he said, tossing the ball into the air.

"Paraaaaaassssseee!" the large mushroom Pokemon hissed as it appeared from its pocket.

"Parasect, use Cut!" the grunt commanded, and the Parasect jumped at Beedrill, slashing at it with its claws.

"Beedrill, use Twineedle!" Matt commanded.

"Speeeeee!" Beedrill cried, and began to fly at Parasect in a spinning motion, diving into the Bug and Grass Pokemon.

"Paaaaaaar!" Parasect cried out in pain as the attacked leaked poison into its body.

"Dammit!" The grunt screamed. "Parasect, use Slash!" he called, and the Mushroom Pokemon jumped at Beedrill, attempting to tear it to pieces.

"Dodge it now!" Matt shouted, and Beedrill quickly flew out of the way, avoiding the attack. "Now use Furry Attack!" he commanded, and the Bug and Poison Pokemon flew down at Parasect.

"Spee spee spee!" Beedrill cried, but instead of repetedly jabbing the Parasect with its stingers, its stingers glowed with a grass green light and began to fire out sharp bolts of energy at the Rocket grunt's Pokemon.

"That's Pin Missile!" Jillian exclaimed.

"Sweet!" Matt cheered.

"P-para... seecttu..." the Parasect moaned, and fell over.

"Shit!" the grunt screamed. "Return Parasect!" he said, calling the fainted Pocket Monster into its PokeBall. "Let's go Ekans!" he called, tossing a PokeBall into the air.

"Chabaaaaaaaaa!" Ekans cried as it burst from its pocket.

"Come back Beedrill!" Matt called, knowing that Poison and Bug Type attacks would be almost useless. "Let's try... Spearow!"

"Rowrowrow!" Spearow chirped after being sent out.

"Use Bite now!" the grunt commanded and Ekans uncoiled its body, lunging at Spearow with its jaw gaping.

"Roooooooow!" Spearow cried as the attack landed, and Ekans clamped its jaw onto Spearow's body.

"Break away from it, and use Leer!" Matt called, and Spearow shook itself free from the Bite, and leered at the Ekans with a dark stare, frightening Ekans into lowering its defense. "Now use Fury Attack!" he commanded.

"Spear row, spear row, spear row!" Spearow cried as it pecked at the Poison type Pokemon over and over.

"Ch-chaaaaaa!" Ekans cried.

"Poison Sting!" the grunt shouted in a growl.

"Chaaabow!" Ekans cried and shot a spray of pink needles at Spearow, crashing into the Normal and Flying Pokemon's chest.

"Spearow, are you okay?" Matt asked his Pokemon, who did not seem to be affected by the poison. "Good! Now let's try this again! Use Furry Attack!" he commanded, and Ekans was hit with another barrage of pecks from Spearow.

"Use Glare!" the Grunt shouted.

"Look away Spearow!" Matt commanded, and Spearow looked up into the sky just before Ekans could use its paralyzing stare.

"Use Mirror Move!" Matt commanded, and Spearow gave a grave glare at Ekans, with glowing red eyes.

"Ch-cha?" Ekans asked, before its entire body seized up. The Pokemon was unable to move.

"Come on Ekans, start moving and let's win this! We aren't going to let some little brat beat us, members of the mighty Team Rocket, are we?" the grunt called to his Pokemon, with no results.

"If Ekans isn't going to attack, I guess we'll go again. Use Furry Attack!" Matt called, and Ekans was hit with a third barrage of pecks.

"Chaaaaa..." Ekans sighed, and then fell on its side.

"What the hell is going on? Come back Ekans!" the grunt screamed, bringing his Pokemon back into its PokeBall. "This time, I'm not going to lose! Go Onix!" he said, tossing another GreatBall into the air.

"Iwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Onix screeched as it appeared in a blinding blue flash of light.

"Onix? Uh oh." Matt said, and quickly recalled Spearow. "How about I go with... Gyarados!" Matt said, tossing Gyarados' PokeBall into the air.

"Gyaraaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Gyarados screeched, matching the ferocity of the Rock Snake Pokemon.

"Matthew, what are you doing? Gyarados is weak against Rock Types!" Jillian screamed.

"What are you talking about? Gyarados is a Water Pokemon." Matt said.

"Now Onix, use Rock Throw!" the grunt commanded, and Onix scooped up a load of rocks with its tail and hurled them at Gyarados.

"Gyaraaaaaaaa!" Gyarados cried, and fell to the ground.

"Gyarados!" Matt cried, running to his Pokemon's side.

"Its also part Flying too! Flying Pokemon are weak against Rock Types!" Jillian said, running to Matt's side.

"Oh I'm so sorry Gyarados! I must've just forgotten in my sureness of this new attitude!" Matt said, trying to hold up Gyarados' massive head.

"Matt lookout!" Jillian called to the boy.

Just as Matt turned around, the grunt that had ran away made his return, and pulled Matt's pack straight off of his back. "No you don't!" the boy shouted. Matt grabbed on to the backpack and attempted to pull it back away from the Rocket grunt.

"Oh look at this. Some free PokeBalls, and some potions, oh, and lots of other goodies!" the grunt said, as he searched through Matt's pack with his free hand.

"Gy-gyraaaaaaa!" Gyarados moaned, and slowly picked itself up off the ground.

"Ha ha, I don't think so Gyarados!" the grunt that had been battling Matt said. "Onix, finish it off with another Rock Throw!"

"Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Gyarados cried, and blasted Onix with a powerful, violet energy beam.

"Iwaaaaaa!" Onix screeched as it flew back.

"Oh,... dear..." the second grunt said as he looked up to see Gyarados rise above his head. "Umm, I'm outta here!" he said, and ran away again.

"I think... that's a good idea." the first grunt said, and ran away after calling his Onix back.

"Gyraaaaaaaaaa!" the Atrocious Pokemon roared and released another beam of energy, this time sending both of the Rocket thugs flying through the air.

"Hey! That was great Gyarados!" Jillian said, running up and hugging the Pokemon.

"Oh no! Please no!" Matt said, falling to his knees with his backpack on his lap.

"What happened?" Jillian asked, then running to the boys side.

"They took... everything..." Matt said, looking into the almost empty pack.

"Wait, what do you mean?" the girl asked.

"I didn't get it back in time... so they almost cleaned me out..." he said, and Jillian took the bag from him.

"Oh,... I see. Well, at least they left you with the important stuff. You've got your PokeDex, your fishing pole, some sort of weird dome shaped rock, and a spare PokeBall." she said, laying the stuff out on the floor.

"Yeah, but they took my money. Now I can't even buy back my supplies..." Matt said sadly. He then suddenly stood up, and looked to the East. "Well, it can't be helped now. Let's get a move on. Return Gyarados." he said, calling his Pokemon back, and then continuing on his journey, trying to not let the tragedy get him down.

Author's Note:

Due to the "accident" my dad had on the computer, I can't remember what Pokemon Matt has seen, and what he hasn't, so anytime in the near future, if Matt read's a PokeDex entry of a Pokemon he's already seen, tell me so I can correct it please. Thank you.

Reader's Response:

Route 10 and Rock Tunnel are full of Pokemon, giving Matt plenty of chances to catch a new partner. Which of these Pokemon do you think he should capture, and why do you think that way?

Magnemite, Nidoran, Zubat, or Cubone?


	33. No Need to be Lonely

Matt's Party: Ivysaur, Beedrill, Mr. Mime, Diglett, Spearow, and Gyarados

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Three: No Need to be Lonely

"Thank you very much Ma'am." Matthew said as the Pokemon Center nurse handed him back his PokeBalls.

"You're very welcome, that's what I'm here for. I hope to see you again." the nurse said with the expected smile of a Pokemon nurse.

"So... what's the deal?" Jillian asked, approaching Matt. She had obviously just stepped out of the shower as her hair was still somewhat wet. The two trainers had luckily discovered a small Pokemon Center only a quarter mile from the entrance to Rock Tunnel. This was convenient, since the girl did not want to sleep on the hard, rocky earth over night.

"Well, I called my mother, and she was able to wire me ¥10,000, but that's it." he said, showing Jillian the money he had just taken out of the ATM.

"Well, that's better than nothing..." she said.

"Yeah, you're right, but money isn't going to do me any good if I've nowhere to spend it. There's no way I'm going all the way back to Cerulean just to visit the PokeMart. The only thing I can do is head through Rock Tunnel, and hope there is a PokeMart on the other side, and that I don't need any Potions or any other medication on the way through." Matt said, pulling his red jacket over his shirt. He pulled his hat backwards, and then back forward, positioning it to fit comfortable.

"I guess that's a plan,... not a very good one,... but still a plan." Jillian said, and Matt walked out of the Pokemon Center. "I mean, its an awesome plan!" she said, running after him.

A few minutes later, they came to a large hole in the rocky wall. "Rock Tunnel entrance. Caution: Pitch black tunnel." Matt read the sign in the ground in front of the cave.

"Umm, maybe we'd better head back to Cerulean and get more prepared. You know, maybe get some flashlights?" Jillian said, pulling on Matt's shirt.

"Nope, I think we'll be okay." the boy said, pulling a disk out of a secret pocket in is pack.

"What is that?" the girl asked.

"This is HM05, its a move that can brighten even the darkest of places. Its a good thing those thieves didn't find this." he said, pulling out the Technical Machine, and then grabbing a PokeBall from his belt. "Let's go Mr. Mime!" he said, tossing the ball into the air.

"Mime mime, Mista mime!" Mr. Mime cried happily as it appeared from the flash of light.

"Alright Mr. Mime, hold still." Matt said, holding the box over Mr. Mime's head. "Looks like it needs... ah, the Boulder Badge will work." he said, placing the gray, octagonal badge in the machine.

"Mime mime mime!" Mr. Mime cried as the machine was activated, sending a wave of energy through its body, instantly teaching the Pokemon the move.

"Great! Now we can get through the tunnel!" Matt said, and stepped into the dark hole in the rock face.

"W-wait for me!" Jillian said, running behind him.

The two trainers entered the cave, and after walking for no more than two-hundred feet, it became so dark that they could not see their hands in front of their eyes. "Now Mr. Mime, use Flash!" Matt commanded.

"Mistaaaaa... mime!" Mr. Mime called, and its fingers began to glow with a bright light. A blinding flash then filled the cave, and when it faded, the cave was bright enough to see where they were going.

"Well, that's better." the young girl said. "So,... now what?" she asked.

"Now we get a move on. We aren't going to get to Celadon just standing here admiring the light. Mr. Mime, return." Matt said, putting Mr. Mime back into its PokeBall.

"What the heck is this?" an unknown voice asked. "Where did all this light come from?" a young man with long black hair that covered his left eye, and wearing a long, white trench coat asked coming around the corner of a rock wall.

"Oh, hello there." Jillian said to the boy.

"Did you two cause this light?" the boy asked.

"Yes. My Mr. Mime used its Flash." Matt said, walking up to the boy.

"Well, thank you for that. I've been walking around in this pitch black cave for almost three days now. I had been using my Charmander's tail to light the way, but I didn't want to tire it out in case I needed it to battle." he said. "My name is Steve by the way, and I'm a Pokemon Maniac!"

"That's very kind of you, thinking of your Charmander like that, before yourself." Matt said. "So, am I safe to assume that you are a trainer?"

"I guess that does make me a trainer. I'm not really into Gym battling, but I'm always looking for away to make my Pokemon stronger." Steve said, knowing exactly where Matt was going with his questions.

"Great, so how about a little battle?" Matt asked the boy, and Jillian tugged on his sleeve.

"Come on Matt, let's just get out of here. I don't like being in caves." she said.

"Then go on ahead." he said, looking into Steve's eyes.

Jillian looked at Matt, and then around at the maze of tunnels and all of the Zubat that were clinging to the ceiling." I think I'll just stay with you."

"Suit yourself" Matt said.

"I accept your challenge..." Steve said, waiting for Matt to introduce himself.

"Matt. My name is Matt." he said.

"And I'm Jillian." the girl said, but the Pokemaniac ignored her.

"How about... a three-on-three,... with a wager of... maybe... ¥1,200?" Matt asked Steve.

"You don't even know how strong this guy is!" Jillian whispered to Matt in a hushed scream. "Without Gym Badges, you have no way of gauging it."

"Just... be quiet please." Matt said, pushing her away a little.

"¥1,200? That sounds fair I suppose. That Kayne kid set the bet at ¥2,300 if I remember correctly."

"K-K-Kayne?" Matt asked Steve.

"Yeah, I think that was his name. We had a full six-on-six battle, and he whipped me a good one. He said he was the grandson of some doctor of something like that..." Steve said.

"O-O-Oak?" Matt asked for confirmation.

"Kayne Oak! That was his name." Steve said, and shook his head. "That guy had four Gym Badges, and one hecka powerful Charmeleon."

"L-let's go! Six-on-six!" Matt shouted, pulling a PokeBall from his belt.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa kid. I can't have a six-on-six right now. I've been wandering around in this god-forsaken tunnel for days now. All I had was three revives to bring my Pokemon back after my battle with that Kayne kid." Steve said.

"B-but... if Kayne... fine." Matt said with a sigh, realizing there was no point. "Three-on-three with a ¥1,200 wager."

"Sounds perfect." Steve said. "Now you are the one who challenged me, so you get the first selection."

"R-right." the boy said. "Go Diglett!" Matt called, throwing the PokeBall into the air. "Come on Diglett, we can't loose to this guy if he lost to Kayne!" he thought to himself.

"Digda dig digda dig!" Diglett said as it appeared from Matt's PokeBall.

"Diglett eh? Go Slowpoke!" Steve called, sending his Pokemon out of its GreatBall.

"Slooooooooooooooooooowpak..." Slowpoke yawned.

"_Slowpoke, the Dopey Pokemon_. _Incredibly slow and dopey, it takes five seconds to feel pain when under attack._" Matt's PokeDex said in its computerized voice.

"And I get the first move!" Steve shouted, his voice echoing throughout the cave. "Slowpoke, use Water Gun!" he commanded.

"Use Dig!" Matt commanded, and Diglett began to dig under the ground at an incredible speed, but not before being hit by the super effective Water Gun."

"Diiiiiig!" Diglett cried from deep within its hole.

"Be on the lookout Slowpoke!" Steve called to his Pokemon. "Try using Wa-" he started to call, but Slowpoke was lifted up and tossed into the air as Diglett surfaced, slamming into the dual Water and Psychic Pokemon.

"Poke?" Slowpoke asked, looking around at its surroundings, attempting to figure out how it had gotten wherever it was now.

"Slowpoke, use Headbutt!" the Pokemaniac called to Slowpoke.

"Shlow?" Slowpoke said, then turned to Diglett. "Slow..." it yawned, and then jumped forward, slamming its head into Diglett.

"Digdadiiiiii!" Diglett cried.

"Now Confusion!" Steve commanded, and Diglett's body began to glow with a light purple light. Slowpoke attempted to pull Diglett out of the ground, but when it failed to do so, it slammed it down on its face harshly.

"D-di-dig..." Diglett moaned.

"Sand Attack!" Matt called.

"Dig!" Diglett cried, and brushed nose against the caves floor and threw a cloud of dust into Slowpokes eyes.

"Slow?" Slowpoke asked, trying to figure out why it could not see what was happening.

"Now use Dig again!" Matt commanded.

"No you don't! Use Water Gun!" Steve called, and Slowpoke shot a blast of water from its mouth, but its accuracy was way off, and it did not come close to hitting its target.

"Dig!" Diglett called as it burst from under the ground, tossing Slowpoke up into the air.

Slowpoke fell to the ground with a thud, and then stood up on its feet for nearly a second. "Slow?" it asked. "Sl-slowpoke..." Slowpoke said, and then fell over.

"What?" Steve asked, seeming almost as slow as his Pokemon at realizing what had just happened. "Return..." he said, and pulled the Pokemon back into its GreatBall. "Okay then, let's go Nidoran!" he said, tossing his second GreatBall into the air.

"Nido! Nidoran!" the small, rabbit-like Pokemon cried as it appeared from the flash of blue light.

"N-Nidoran?" Matt asked. "Isn't that sort of a bad choice?" he thought to himself. "Then again, he said he only had three Pokemon left."

The dark purple, Poison Pokemon scratched his ear with its hind leg. "Nidoran, use Horn Attack!" Steve commanded, and Nidoran charged at Diglett, jabbing its large horn into the Ground Pokemon's body.

"Diglett, use Sand Attack!" Matt called to Diglett, and the Mole Pokemon tossed a cloud of dust into Nidoran's eyes.

"Poison Sting!" the Pokemaniac called, and Nidoran spit a round of toxic needles into Diglett.

"Digggddaaaaa!" Diglett cried out in pain. It suddenly looked very sick.

"D-darn!" Matt cried, realizing that Diglett was poisoned. "Diglett, use Dig!" he commanded, and the Ground Type tunneled its way under the rock floor.

"Naaaadoooooooo!" Nidoran cried as Diglett slammed into it from under the ground, tossing up rocks and dirt. "Ran!" Nidoran cried as it slammed down on the ground, and fainted.

"D-dammit!" Steve shouted, and stomped his foot. "Return Nidoran!" he said, calling the Poison Pin Pokemon back. "Its seems you're pretty good Matt. I honestly didn't expect that, especially when I saw the face you made when I mentioned that Kayne kid. Well, now its time for my final Pokemon." he said, and a PokeBall rolled out from his sleeve into his hand. "Go Charmander!"

"Charmanda chaaar!" the orange, reptilian Pokemon cried as it was released from the ball.

"Now go and use Slash!" Steve commanded, and Charmander jumped into the air, and the Fire Pokemon hacked at Diglett with its claws.

"Use Dig!" Matt said, trying to use the super-effective attack before the poison took full effect.

"Digda!" Diglett cried as it dug its way under the earth. "D-dig..." a moan came from under the ground, showing Matt that Diglett was almost out of time. "Diiiigggggg!" it cried as it flew out from under the ground, slamming into Charmander.

"Ch-char!" Charmander cried.

"Use Rage!" Steve commanded, and Charmander leaped at Diglett, and with the look of severe anger in its eyes and slashed at the Mole Pokemon.

"Scratch!" Matt commanded, knowing that being that close up to Charmander would do more damage. He was right, and Charmander stumbled backwards.

"Did-digdaaaaaaaa..." Diglett moaned, and succumbed to the poison, and fainted.

"Return Diglett." Matt said, and brought the PokeBall up close to him. "You were amazing Diglett. Two-out-of-three Pokemon? I would be a fool to wish more than that." he said to his Pokemon. "Alright, my next Pokemon." he said, and thought for a second. "Go Beedrill!"

"Spee spee spee!" Beedrill cried as it appeared in the flash of white light.

"Beedrill? Why are you deliberately choosing a Pokemon that is weak to Charmander?" Steve asked.

"Its only fair. Nidoran was weak to Diglett, so I'm using Beedrill against a Fire Type." Matt explained.

"Well, that's very kind of you, but you'll pay for that handicap." Steve said with a smirk. "Charmander, use Rage!" he commanded, and the Fire Pokemon leaped into the air, and unleashed a vicious barrage of slashes. This attack seemed even stronger than the last.

"Twineedle!" Matt called, and Beedrill flew down at the Charmander, jabbing at it with its toxic stingers.

"Ch-char!" Charmander cried.

"Use Rage!" the Pokemaniac commanded, and Charmander slashed at Beedrill once again, this time doing a massive amount of damage, much more that before.

"Darn! I forgot about the effects of Rage!" Matt thought to himself. "Beedrill, let's take the defensive! Use Harden!" he commanded, and Beedrill's exoskeleton shone with a brilliant sheen as it hardened, increasing is defensive power.

"Charmander, use Ember!" Steve cried, trying to throw Matt off his guard, and Charmander whipped its tail back and forth, showering Beedrill in a rain of sparks.

"Speeeee!" Beedrill cried out in pain.

"Okay then, Beedrill, use your Rage!" Matt commanded, and Beedrill flew down at Charmander, releasing a barrage of jabs of its spears.

"Rage!" Steve commanded, and Charmander retaliated in great anger.

"Rage!" Matt came back, Beedrill's Rage much more powerful now.

"Come on Charmander! Use your anger now!" Steve called in a fury, Charmander jumped at Beedrill, but just missed its target.

"Char!" Charmander said as it landed on its chest.

"Finish it Beedrill, use Pin Missile!" Matthew commanded, and Beedrill launched four green, glowing missiles from its spears, right into Charmander's back.

"Ch-char... mandar..." the Fire Pokemon moaned, and passed out.

"Return." Steve said, pulling his Pokemon back into its PokeBall. "That was an excellent battle, I didn't plan on losing."

"Well, when you said that Kayne had beaten you, I knew that I had to beat you. If I had lost, I would have proved that I was way too far behind him." Matt said, and then returned Beedrill to its PokeBall.

"Well, here's your money." he said, and handed the victorious trainer his winnings. "I'd better get outta here and head to the Pokemon Center. Thanks for the battle, maybe we'll see each other again." Steve said, and left Matt and Jillian.

"Wow! You did amazing Matt!" Jillian said, clinging onto Matt's jacket sleeve.

Matt shrugged her off, and put his hand to his ear. "Shh, did you hear that?" he asked.

"No, I don't hea-" she started to say, until Matt put his index finger up to her lips.

"Quiet. I think something is going down up around that bend." he said, and the two creeped slowly around the rock wall.

"Oh my God..." Jillian whispered, after seeing the horrors that were just around the corner.

"Come on buddy, just give it up. Its not like its attached to you!" a man dressed in a black uniform was standing over a small, reptilian-like Pokemon, trying to pull a white helmet-like object off of its head.

"They... they can't do that..." Jillian said, as she gazed in horror.

"Team Rocket!" Matt shouted to the uniformed man.

Jillian gaped at Matt, in even more horror than at the evil man. "Matt?"

There was something in the tone of Matt's voice, and the glare he was giving the Team Rocket grunt. "Leave that Cubone alone." he said. His voice was very calm, but there was something so dark in the way he said it, it made Jillian shiver.

"Oh, and what is some kid going to do about it?" the grunt asked, reaching for his belt.

"Use Dragon Rage!" Matt commanded, tossing a PokeBall into the air.

"Gyraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Gyarados appeared and blasted the grunt into the wall with incredible power.

"St-stop! Please!" the grunt pleaded.

Matt walked over to the grunt, and on the way there, picked up a bone that was laying on the ground. "Leave this place, right now." he demanded, holding the bone up like a Marowak.

"I-I'm outta here!" The grunt said, scrambling to his feet, and then ran away as fast as he could.

"Matt?" Jillian asked again.

"Hey little guy." Matt said, approaching the crying Pokemon. His personality had completely changed. He was once again the sweet, innocent little boy.

"What was that?" Jillian asked herself.

"Kyuuuu kyuuuuuu, kyuuuuuu!" Cubone wailed.

"_Cubone, the Lonely Pokemon. Because it never removes its skull helmet, no one has ever seen this Pokemon's real face_." Matt's PokeDex said.

"Don't cry little guy. What's the matter?" the boy asked the Pokemon.

"Kyuuuuu!" Cubone cried.

"I think its all alone. I don't see any other Cubone around, or even a mother Marowak." Jillian said.

"Is that whats wrong? You lost your family?" Matt asked Cubone, and the Pokemon nodded. He handed the Pokemon the bone he had picked up, and then pulled the empty PokeBall out of the bag.

"Kyuuu!" Cubone cheered, and held the bone up to its face.

"Aww, that's better." Matt said, patting the Ground Type on the head. "Say Cubone, how about you travel with me? Me and my Pokemon could be your family, or at least until we find your mother.

"Kyuuubone!" Cubone cried happily.

"Okay! Its settled then. You'll come with me and be my Pokemon." he said, holding the PokeBall near Cubone. "If you get inside of this ball, you'll be teleported to a special machine, but I promise you that as soon as I get to a Pokemon Center, I'll get you out, and we'll be together."

Cubone thought about it for a second, and then pressed the button on the ball with its bone. The Lonely Pokemon was turned into a red energy, and then pulled into the ball. The PokeBall instantly clicked, and then turned into white light, and was teleported away.


	34. Shadow of Sakaki

Matt's Party: Ivysaur, Beedrill, Mr. Mime, Diglett, Spearow, and Gyarados

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Four: Shadow of Sakaki

"This isn't what I was expecting..." Jillian said as she stepped out of the tunnel.

Matt and Jillian had been traveling through Rock Tunnel for well over a week, nine days to be exact. Matt looked around at the area they had walked out into, and then looked to Jillian. "Well, I don't know about you, but I was expecting fresh air." he said, and then looked back into the thick, purple fog. "Come on, we need to get to the Pokemon Center." Matt said. During the nine days in tunnel, Matt and Jillian had been through countless battles, and now the only Pokemon Matt had left that could still battle was Spearow and Ivysaur, but they were still in bad shape.

"I know,... but can't we just go back to the Route 10 Pokemon Center?" she asked, trying to pull him back into the cave.

"The entire time we were in the tunnel, you whined that you wanted to leave, and now you want to go back in?" Matt asked, rather irritated.

Jillian looked into the mist, and then back at the tunnel. She thought for a few moments, and then walked forward. "Let's get to the Pokemon Center!" she said, and then began to sprint.

"Hello there, and welcome to the Lavender Town Pokemon Center." a pretty young nurse, with long brown hair wrapped up inside of her hat, asked.

"Lavender Town?" Matt asked. Outside, he could see nothing but the purple mist, and it had only been by luck that he had found the Pokemon Center. Jillian was not even there yet.

"Why yes, this is Lavender Town, is it your first time here?" the nurse asked, and Matt nodded. "The noble, purple town!" she said with a grin. "Anyways, can I take your Pokemon?" she asked, and Matt handed her three PokeBalls. "Only three today?"

"Yeah, I'm going to exchange three of my Pokemon, so I only need those three checked up on." he said, and then he walked over to the PC "Okay, lets see who needs a little training." Matt said to himself, bringing up Bill's PC. He put Beedrill, Mr. Mime, and Gyarados into the computer, and then pulled Krabby, Pikachu, and Cubone out.

"Hey! Mr. Fuji is on TV!" Matt heard someone shout from the other side of the Pokemon Center. He turned to the TV to see an old man with thinning hair standing next to a young reporter.

"I am here with Mr. Fuji, the founder of the Pokemon Orphanage in Lavender Town." the reporter said. He had short black hair that looked like it had been slicked back by a Lickitung's tongue. "Mr. Fuji, you say that you have had contact with this so called 'Team Rocket'?"

"Th-that is correct." the old man said into the microphone. He appeared to blush, although the picture quality on the TV wasn't the best, so Matt wasn't sure.

"As most people know by now, a gang of criminals know as Team Rocket has been stealing Pokemon from trainers all over the Kanto region." the reporter said.

"Th-they are so cr-cruel. Taking young Pokemon away from their mothers, from new trainers... It doesn't matter who they are t-taking them from... its horrible." Mr. Fuji said.

"Team Rocket seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. The first news of their criminal activity came from a young woman from Cerulean who claimed to have defeated a man that called him self Team Rocket. After that, Team Rocket has been appearing all over the region, attacking even Pokemon DayCare centers." the reporter claimed. "Now, Mr. Fuji, would you care to tell us about your experience with the crime syndicate?"

"Y-yes, of course." Mr. Fuji said. "One day, the day before yesterday actually, I was taking all of the orphaned Pokemon out for a walk. Then, out of the blue, two men dressed in all black but for a red 'R' on their jackets, jumped out in front of me. 'Hand over those Cubone' one of them said. When I refused, they sent out an army of Poison, Grass, and Ground Pokemon. To protect the orphans, not only the four Cubone I had with me, but the young Psyduck and Nidoran as well, I sent out the last Pokemon I had from my days as a trainer, my Poliwhirl. Unfortunately, because of its age, it stood no chance against Team Rockets Pokemon, and quickly lost. As quickly as it had fell, a Victreebel grabbed it with its Vine Whip and pulled it onto a blimp that was now floating above us."

"My, that sounds like an awful experience. This just shows us the vile nature of Tea-" the reporter started to say.

"That's when a wild Marowak appeared, and attacked Team Rocket's Pokemon with its powerful bone attacks. It managed to knock out their Victreebel, Nidoqueen and Nidoking, and the Ekans, but a Rhydon came from behind it, striking it in the back of the neck with a Horn Drill attack." Mr. Fuji said, his eyes welling up with tears. "The Marowak,... laid on the ground... and did not get back up. At first I thought it had just fainted... but..." he said, and then stopped himself. "I... just can't say anymore."

"That's okay Mr. Fuji, you've said more than enough." the reporter said. "The only other thing that we know about this mysterious organization, is that their leader goes by the name of Sakaki. He has been described as a middle aged ma-" the picture suddenly cut out, but the sounds of screaming could still be heard. "Oh my god! What is tha- someone help!" the reporters voice called, and then the picture came back, showing the shadow of a massive Pokemon, picking up Mr. Fuji, and carrying him away. "Call the police! Call the pol-" the reporter was hit by a blast of fire, and the picture was lost again, as well as the sound.

"Wh-what happened!" Matt shouted at the end of the program.

"That was the last known footage of Mr. Fuji." an older man sitting behind a desk appeared on the TV. "If you have any information on his location, or any information on the notorious Team Rocket, please contact us at-" the TV suddenly shut off. Matt looked back at the nurses counter, and saw that she was the one with the remote.

"Do they really have to play that everyday?" she asked, and then turned to Matt. "Your Pokemon are fully healed honey. Here they are."

Matt walked up to her, and put the three PokeBalls on his belt. "Th-thank you ma'am. Umm, who was that guy on TV?" he asked.

"Oh dear. You don't know? That was Mr. Fuji, he runs the local Pokemon Orphanage here in town. About a week ago, he was kidnapped by some sort of dragon-like Pokemon. No one has seen him since, or has any clue where he is." she said.

"Team Rocket..." Matt said, and gritted his teeth.

"There you are!" Jillian said, running through the Pokemon Center door. "Why did you leave me?"

"Leave you? You were the one who ran off!" Matt said. "Anyways, my Pokemon are all healed now. I'm gonna head to the PokeMart."

"What? But I just found the Pokemon Center!" she shouted. "Fine, I'll meet you there. I accidentally found it when I was walking through the mist. The fogs lifted anyways." she said, and put her balls up on the table. Matt left the Pokemon Center to find the PokeMart.

"Team Rocket..." he said again. "They probably got those Cubone too..." he clenched one of his fists, and held Cubone's PokeBall in the other.

"I heard it was a Dragonite!" someone called from a blue-roofed building up ahead on the path. Matt recognized it as the PokeMart.

"Nah, it didn't look anything like a Dragonite from the footage. Besides, don't you need a license to own a Dragonite?" another man asked, as Matt approached the PokeMart. He walked inside, hoping to not get caught up with the conversation.

"Hello kiddo, what can I do for ya?" a young girl, no older than sixteen, asked Matt from behind the counter.

"I n-need some P-P-PokeBalls..." he said, suddenly feeling very shy.

"PokeBalls huh? How many would ya need? Oh, and we do have some GreatBalls in stock if that perks your intrests." the girl clerk asked. "They're only ¥300 more than a normal PokeBall, but work much, much better."

"Gr-GreatBalls? Y-yeah, that sounds good. I think I'll take f-five PokeBalls, and f-five Gr-GreatBalls." he said, and then looked behind the girl at the other goods in the shop, trying to figure out what else he wanted.

"Oooh, sorry kid. It turns out we are all out of PokeBalls. All we have are GreatBalls." she said.

"Th-that's alright. I'll take eight GreatBalls then... oh and ab-bout five Antidotes, and three Super Potions." he said, continuing to look as she placed the items on the table. "Revives? H-how much are th-they?"

"Oh, I forgot we had Revives. They be ¥1,500 each kiddo." she said. "You want some of them too?"

Matt thought about it, knowing it would almost completely drain the money his mother had given him, but he felt that they'd be a good idea, especially after the state he was in after venturing through Rock Tunnel. "Y-yeah, I'll take three."

"That'll be ¥11,100" she said, placing the three Revives on the counter. Matt handed her the money, leaving him with only ¥100. He placed the items away in the bag, and came across something that he had completely forgotten about. "Can I do anything else for ya today?"

"Umm, d-do you know if there is any pl-place in town that I can sell this nugget?" Matt asked, holding up the nugget he had gotten just North of Cerulean City.

"Oh my, ain't that a beauty?" she said. "That's a genuine nugget. Pa! Come in here real quick!" she shouted, and an older man came in from the back room.

"Oh my goodness!" the old man said. "You lookin' to sell that beauty?"

"Yes sir, if I could find a place to sell it." Matt said to the girls father.

"You can sell it right here in the Lavender PokeMart. I'll tell yas what. I'll give ya ¥5,000 for it right here, right now!" he said, taking the money out of the register. Matt handed the gold nugget over to him immediately, and the man handed him the ¥5,000.

"Th-thank you sir!" Matt said, looking at the money.

"Would ya like anything else today?" the man asked.

"No thank you sir, I think I better save this, just in case I get in a battle." Matt said.

"Okay then, see ya later kid, have a nice day. Don't let them Spooks scare ya off!" the old man said.

"Nice to meet you!" the girl called to Matt as he left the store, making him blush.

"You all done shopping?" Jillian asked, running up to Matt as he exited the store.

"Umm, yeah. I'm done. The didn't have any PokeBalls, so I got a few GreatBalls." he said, showing her one of his balls.

"Oh, well those are better anyway." she said, giggling.

"Gen gen gen gen." Matt heard the sound of what he thought was snickering behind him.

"Did you hear that?" he asked Jillian.

"Gen gen gen gen."

Jillian suddenly let out a horrible scream, causing Matt to turn around. "Wh-what is that?" he screamed, looking at a large, black, shadowy creature hovering above them. "I'm outta here!" he shouted, and ran as fast as he could, not knowing where he was going.

* * *

If you are a fan of the Halo series, or just a fan of my work, check out my new story "SHARP". Its basically a script for a future machinima I'm going to create using the Reach engine. Enjoy ^^


	35. A Very Sludgy Ending

Outside of Pallet Town

Matt's Party: Ivysaur, Diglett, Spearow, Krabby, Pikachu, and Cubone

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Five: A Very Sludgy Ending

After running for an unknown amount of time, Matt panted inside the door of a random building. "Umm, are you okay son?" a man dressed in a fine suit asked. He was standing next to a woman of about the same age, wearing a black veil over her face, to cover what Matt could instantly tell were tears.

"Y-yes sir." Matt said, looking around to make sure that the shadow hadn't followed him.

"Okay then." the man said, and then turned to his wife. "Let's go honey. Growlithe wouldn't want you to stay here all day."

"Whoa there kid, it looks like you've seen a ghost!" another man approached the boy. This man was slightly older that the other, and wasn't as well dressed.

"I... I think I did." Matt said. "I th-think I did see a ghost. Then I ran as fast as I could... and then in here to lose it."

"Well, if you ran in here to get away from a ghost, then you probably don't know what this place is." the man said, then laughed a hardy laugh.

"What? Wh-where... where am I?" Matt asked, looking around again, now noticing what looked like tombs spread out through out the room.

"This is the Lavender Town Pokemon Tower. Its where the Pokemon in the local area are put into their final resting place. Its like a seven story graveyard." the man said, and Matt suddenly looked sick. "If you were running away from just one ghost, you ran into a building full of 'em."

"Gh-gh-gh-ghosts?" Matt asked.

"Yup. The Pokemon Tower has always been full of ghosts, but lately, they've been more active than normal. No one is able to make it past the third floor because they get to scared and run all the way back down." the man said. "I heard Silph was working on some kinda new gadget to help us, but I haven't heard anything about it for a few weeks. Well, I'd better get back to work." he said, and grabbed a broom from the wall.

Matt stood still for a few minutes, not sure if he wanted to go back outside, or stay in the haunted tower. "Matthew Wesley Crimson!" a familiar voice called to Matt, making his bones shudder even more than the thought of a ghost. "I thought that was you!"

"K-K-K-Kayne!" Matt shouted. "Wh-wh-what are you doing here?"

"Well, since I've already got the Badge from Celadon City, I was just, ya know, training while trying to find the next Gym. Still can't get into that damn Saffron City. Probably a good thing for the Gym Leader their though, I'd whip his ass so hard!" he said.

"Y-yeah..." Matt said.

"Alright Crimson, you ready?" Kayne asked.

"Right h-here?" Matt asked, instantly knowing what Kayne had meant.

"No you idiot, this place is sacred to these religious morons. I don't care about them, but they just won't let us battle in there. Let's go outside." he said, and the two started to walk through the door. "I'm thinkin' about a full battle, wagering ¥3,500."

"Y-yeah." Matt said, after they had stopped at the place they were to battle. "Th-that sounds great." he said, gripping two PokeBalls in his hand.

"He he he, get ready Matthew. I'm gonna rock your life!" Kayne shouted, tossing a PokeBall into the air.

"Jaaaaaaaahn!" the large bird-like Pokemon screeched as it was released from its PokeBall.

"Pidgeotto? Okay, I've got this one!" Matt thought to himself. "Go Pikachu!" he shouted, tossing his PokeBall.

"Chaaaaaaaaaaah." Pikachu yawned as it was released from its Pokemon. "Pika?" it said, looking all around.

"He he he, something tells me this is going to be fun." Kayne laughed. "Make your move."

"R-right. Pikachu, u-use ThunderShock!" Matt commanded, and Pikachu began to charge up electricity in is cheek pouches.

"Piiiiiiiiiii!" Pikachu cried.

"Go Pidgeotto, and use Double Team!" Kayne commanded.

"Piiijon!" Pidgeotto cried, and sped up its flight so fast, that it appeared as if there were five of it.

"Ch-cha?" Pikachu squeaked, the yellow sparks from its cheeks turning orange.

"You can d-do it Pikachu!" Matt called to his Pokemon

"Piiiiiiii... kaaaaaaa... chuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" Pikachu cried, and launched a massive wave of electricity at Pidgeotto, much more powerful than a basic ThunderShock.

"That... was Thunderbolt..." Matt said, and quickly looked through his pack. Team Rocket had left him the TM that Lt. Surge had given him, and it was still inside the bag. "Y-you learned it on your own?"

"Jjjjoooooooooon!" Pidgeotto squawked as the Thunderbolt struck it on the head, instantly knocking it out.

"What... the hell?" Kayne asked. "Return Pidgeotto." he said, pulling his Pokemon back into its PokeBall. "That was just a lucky shot. It won't happen again Matthew."

"Y-yeah, that's exactly wh-what I was th-thinking..." Matt said under his breath.

"Go Grimer!" Kayne shouted, tossing his second PokeBall.

"Graaaaaaimaaaah!" the liquid, slime-like Pokemon said as it appeared in a flash of light.

"Grimer?" Matt thought to himself, and pulled out his PokeDex.

"_Grimer, the Sludge Pokemon. Appears in filthy areas. Thrives by sucking up polluted sludge that is pumped out of factories._" the PokeDex said, making Matt cringe, and hold his nose.

"P-Pikachu return!" Matt said, his voice slightly distorted from holding his nose. Pikachu was pulled back into its PokeBall, and Matt tossed out his second Pokemon.

"Dig dig dig!" Diglett cried as it appeared from the PokeBall.

"He he he, looks like you have an answer for everything." Kayne said. "Alright, make your move."

"Go Diglett, use Scratch!" Matt commanded, and Diglett dug its way up to the Poison Pokemon.

"Minimize!" Kayne shouted.

"Graiiiiii!" Grimer cried, and with a smirk, its body reduced in size, causing the Scratch attack to miss.

"Dig?" Diglett said.

"Now use Poison Gas!" Kayne commanded.

"Graaiiiimaaaaah!" Grimer called, and opened its mouth wide, releasing a cloud of purple gas that floated over Diglett.

"D-diglehhhh" Diglett said, its face suddenly turning very green.

"Di-Diglett!" Matt called to his Pokemon. The Poison Gas had poisoned his Pokemon, and he knew that he had to act fast. Ground Type Pokemon were strong against those of the Poison Type, but that didn't mean they were immune to their effects. "Use Dig!" Matt commanded, and the sickened Diglett dug a hole in the ground.

"Disable!" Kayne commanded, and Grimer's eyes glowed with a gray light.

"Diggggg!" Diglett cried from deep within its hole. "Digda!" it cried, and sprung up from the ground.

"He he he, that was way too easy. Grimer, use Pound!" Kayne shouted, and Grimer slid up to the immobile Diglett, and slapped it with its slimy, sticky hand.

"Diglett, use Scratch!" Matt commanded.

"D-digdaaaaaah..." Diglett sighed, and collapsed within its hole.

"N-no... Diglett..." Matt said.

"Hahahaha!" Kayne laughed. "How weak!"

"R-return Diglett..." Matt said, pulling Diglett back into its PokeBall. "I could use Cubone,... but I don't know if this would be a good first battle for it." he thought to himself. "Go Pikachu!" he shouted, sending the Electric Pokemon out again.

"Pikachaaaaaaa!" Pikachu squealed.

"Go Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Matt commanded, and Pikachu sent a bolt of electricity from its cheeks, straight for Grimer.

"Graaaaaaaaaimaaaaah!" Grimer cried as 100,000 volts of electricity pulsed through its liquid body.

"Poison Gas!" Kayne commanded, and Matt's Pikachu was poisoned by the toxic cloud, just as Diglett was. "Why do I feel like I'm wasting my time battling you Crimson?"

Matt gritted his teeth. "No, I need to stay concentrated." he thought to himself. "Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" he shouted.

"Chaaaaa!" Pikachu cried as it ran towards Grimer, at a speed fast to that of lightining.

"Graihaihaihai!" Grimer laughed, showing both Matt and Pikachu that the attack did barely anything to the Sludge Pokemon.

"Pi... pi... pi..." the Mouse Pokemon panted.

"Pound!" Kayne shouted.

"Dodge it now Pikachu!" Matt commanded, and Pikachu attempted to jump out of the way.

"Pikaaaaah!" Pikachu squealed as Grimer struck it down with its sludgy hand. "Pi... kah..." it said, and collapsed on the ground.

"Pikachu... return." Matt said, bringing Pikachu back. "You did great, thank you." he said, and then started to think about his next Pokemon. "I'm two down... and I really don't want to use Cubone up against a Pokemon that strong, even with a type advantage." he thought to himself. "Go Spearow!" Matt shouted, tossing his PokeBall into the air.

"Speaaaaaar!" Spearow cried as the PokeBall opened in midair, releasing a flash of white light.

"Use Fury Attack!" Matt commanded, and Spearow flew down at Grimer, pecking at it furiously with its sharp beak.

"Pound!" Kayne commanded with a smirk.

"Grai... mah...grai..." Grimer panted, the Poison Pokemon was finally getting tired.

"Alright! Finish it now Spearow with a Peck!" Matt shouted, and Spearow dove back down.

"He he he. Grimer, use Thunderbolt." Kayne said softly.

"Th-thunderbolt?" Matt asked. "Pull up Spearow, pull up!"

"Graaaaaaaaiiii... mer!" Grimer cried, launching a powerful bolt of electricity from its mouth, striking Spearow in midair.

"Speaaaaaaaaaarow!" Spearow cried out in pain, and then fell to the ground. A puff of dust flew up when it landed.

"He he he, I got that little trick from Lt. Surge of Vermillion City. Bet you weren't expectin' that little babe huh Matty?" Kayne said, and chuckled.

"Spearow!" Matt called to his Pokemon. "R-return..." he said, trying to hold back the tear that was forming in his eye. "I can't give up just yet... I just can't!" he shouted in his mind. "Let's go Krabby!"

"Just return your Pokemon Matthew." Kayne said.

"Wh-what?" Matt asked.

"Kurib?" Krabby asked, looking around at its surroundings. "Kurikurib!" It said, walking up to Grimer, and holding out its claw.

"Grai!" Grimer cried, slapping it away.

"Just return them. I don't want to battle you anymore." Kayne said. "Come back Grimer." he said, pulling his Pokemon back into its pocket.

"B-but... why?" Matt asked.

"Isn't it obvious? Its because I'd win. Okay, right now Grimer is pretty tired, so there is a slim chance your Krabby could beat it _if_ it managed to land a Guillotine. But even then, you'd still have to worry about my other four Pokemon, which includes my Charmeleon. I'm just saving you the humiliation, and the money." Kayne said, and started to walk away from him. "Not that I really care what happens to you."

"B-b-but... I still h-had a chance..." Matt said.

"No, you honestly didn't Matt. The battle was getting boring anyways." Kayne said, and walked away until he was covered by the reappearing mist.

"I could've won... I know I could've..." Matt said, and sat down on his knees.

"Kurib?" Krabby asked, putting its claw to Matt's cheek.

"There you are! How dare you run off on me like that! I was scared half to death by that thing!" Jillian shouted at Matt, after she had found him. "Matt?" she asked, after noticing the state he was in. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." he said, standing up and brushing the dust from his knees. "Return Krabby."

"Are... you sure?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Matt said, and then smiled a fake smile. A tear was still hanging onto his eyelash. "Well, there isn't anything else in this town. Should we continue on to Celadon? I think we just have to go across Route 8, hit the Underground Tunnel there, and then after Route 7, we're there. Or that's what the map says at least." he said, still forcing the smile.

"R-right..." Jillian said, trying to force a smile as well.

"Let me hit the Pokemon Center first, and then we'll get going. The trip should only take us a couple of days." Matt said, and the two walked off into the mist to find the Pokemon Center again.


	36. Hot and Foxy

Okay, so I've decided to update. Now, before I begin, there are somethings about my story that you should probably know. This story, is a novelization of the Pokemon games, Red, Green, Blue, FireRed, and LeafGreen. That means that at some point in the story, it will seem very similar to those games. Also, the battles in this story are based off of the battles in the game, which are played on a turn-by-turn basis, and not like how they are portrayed in the Pokemon anime. Thank you. Maybe this will clear a few things up.

OUTSIDE OF PALLET TOWN

Matt's Party: Ivysaur, Diglett, Spearow, Krabby, Pikachu, and Cubone.

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Six: Hot and Foxy

After leaving Lavender Town, Matthew and Jillian began the long trek across Route 8. "Isn't this romantic Matt?" Jillian asked him, and fluttered her eyes. This was their third day since leaving Lavender Town, and Matt was tired of eating on the go, so they had sat down to have a small picnic.

"Umm... no?" Matt said, and poured out a bit of Pokemon food into each of the six bowls he had set up.

"Ivy!" Ivysaur said as it started to eat away at its meal.

"Kurikuri!" Krabby squealed with delight as it ate its specially developed Water Pokemon food.

"What do you mean? You know, its just the two of us, sitting alone on a blanket in the wilderness, with just our Pokemon. I think it is just _so_ romantic." Jillian said, pouring food for her Pokemon.

"Pidj!" Pidgeotto cried, and began to peck at its bowl.

"Yeah... sorry. I don't know much about romance..." Matt said, and patted Spearow on the head. Cubone pulled its bowl over to its trainer, and rested its head against him while eating.

"Well... you know... I could teach you some things." Jillian said, leaning closer to Matt.

"Y-y-y-yeah I... uhh... ummm... ummm... I'm gonna go for a quick walk." the boy said, jumping up suddenly.

"Oh... okay..." Jillian said, pouting.

"Come on guys, let's try and get a little after-lunch training in." he said, and started to march away, his Pokemon following close behind. Matt whipped the sweat from his brown, and looked back at his Pokemon. "That was a close one, huh?"

"Dig!" Diglett agreed with him.

The team walked for a few minutes, until Matt found a place that he thought suitable for some training. "Alright guys, let's start. Hey Cubone, you up for a little training?"

"C-c-cubone!" it said, shaking its head, and hid behind a rock.

"Oh... kay then... What about you Spearow?" Matt asked, and Spearow flew up into the air, flapping its wings. "Great. How about we work on increasing your evasiveness?" he said, and placed a finger to his chin in thought. "I got it! Spearow, try and dodge the attacks that Pikachu sends at you!" the boy said, and then he turned to the Electric Pokemon. "Pikachu, try and use ThunderShock on Spearow. Don't worry about holding back, I've got some Super Potions."

"Pika! Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, and send a bolt of electricity at Spearow.

"Great! Now... how about... Krabby and Ivysaur!" Matt said, delighted at his new training ideas. "Ivysaur, use Vine Whip on Krabby, and Krabby, you try to dodge."

"Saur!" Ivysaur cried, and sent a vine flying at Krabby.

"Kurib!" Krabby cried as it jumped over Ivysaur's attack.

"Digdadi?" Diglett asked, digging its way up to Matt.

"Oh, sorry Diglett. How about you just sit back here with Cubone and I, and watch the matches?" Matt asked, patting his Pokemon on the head. "Wow, just look at 'em go!"

"Digda!" Diglett sqealed.

The team practiced for a little over two hours, before Jillian became bored with sitting alone with Sandshrew and Pidgeotto. "There you are! What's taking you so long with your walk?" she asked.

"Oh... hey Jillian. We've just been doing a little bit of training. Sorry, I guess we forgot about you..." Matt said, rubbing the back of his head. "So... what are you up to?"

"Wh-what am I up to? What am I up to? I've been waiting for you to come back for like two hours now!" she screamed.

"Sorry. Like I said, we forgot, and must've got carried away." Matt said. He stood back on his feet, and called all of his Pokemon back into their PokeBalls. "Good job everyone. Cubone, you and I are gonna start our training very soon."

"You've really been training for the last few hours? You weren't avoiding me?" Jillian asked.

"Av-voiding you? Why would I w-want to avoid you?" Matt asked with a laugh, hardly hiding his lie.

"Oh my god!" a voice called out from over the field. "Matthew? Is that you?"

Matt recognized the voice instantly, and his knees began to shake just as fast. "Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no." he said, wishing that she wouldn't come near.

"Oh it is you! Matty!" the girl ran up behind him, and wrapped her arms around him. Matt's knees gave way, and he toppled to the ground with her on his back. "Oh you silly boy!"

"J-j-j-j-j!" Matt stuttered.

"Umm... who is this?" Jillian asked, pulling Jenny off of Matt.

"Th-th-th-" Matt tried to say.

"Hi there. I'm Jenny Blue. I used to go to school with Matt, and I could say that we're pretty good friends!" she said with a giggle. Matt managed to pull himself up off the ground, but fell back down when he saw her smile.

"M-Matt? What's wrong with you?" Jillian asked, walking over to him, and helping him up.

"N-nothing..." he said, brushing the dirt from his knees.

"Oh, he's always this way. Oh, by the way, are you a friend of Matthew?" Jenny asked.

"Oh, yeah. I guess you could say that. Matt and I have been traveling together for quite awhile now." Jillian said. Matt's knees started to give way again, and she struggled to keep him from falling again.

"Oooooh, your soooooo lucky!" Jenny squealed. I'd love to go adventuring with Matthew, but... I dunno, I want to prove myself. When we get married, I don't want to be just some stay-at-home housewife. I want him to see me as his equal."

"Mah-mah-mah-married?" Matt asked.

"What? You think you're gonna marry Matt?" Jillian asked, her grip tightening on Matt.

"J-Jillian. You're st-starting to hurt me." the boy said, trying to pull himself away from her grip.

"Of course. Matt and I have been planning our marriage since we were only five." Jenny giggled.

"W-we h-h-have?" Matt asked, releasing himself from the redheaded girls hands.

"Umm, I think you're mistaken girly, Matt's _my _bou." Jillian said, and grabbed a hold of Matt again, pulling him close to him.

"J-J-Jillian, pl-please! I c-can't breath!" Matt tried to scream.

"Oh please, that's impossible." Jenny squealed with her immortal smile.

"Pokemon battle. Right now!" Jillian said, grabbing a PokeBall from her purse. As she reached into her bag, her grip on Matt loosened, and the boy managed to escape.

"Huh? Battle?" Jenny asked.

"That's right. Let's have a three-on-three battle, and the winner gets to marry Matt!" she said, enlarging her PokeBall by pressing the button in the center.

"Oh,... well okay. That actually sounds like a ton of fun!" Jenny giggled, and grabbed a PokeBall of her own. "You're the challenger!"

"Right! Go Pidgeotto!" Jillian shouted, and tossed Pidgeotto's PokeBall into the air.

"Jooooooon!" Pidgeotto screeched as it was released from its PokeBall.

"Pidgeotto huh? Okay, let's see if this will counter it. Go Kadabra!" Jenny said with a big grin on her face, tossing Kadabra's ball into the air.

"Dabara!" the Psi Pokemon said as it appeared from the flash of light.

"Wait, three-on-three? I thought you only had two Pokemon Jillian?" Matt asked, but Jillian was too into the battle, and did not hear the boy.

"Let's go!. Quick Attack!" the girl screamed, and Pidgeotto flew at Kadabra at near lights-peed, crashing into it, dealing a good deal of damage. The battle had begun, and tension grew between the glares of the two girls.

"Kadabra, use Confusion!" Jenny commanded of her Pokemon.

"Kadaba!" Kadabra cried, and focused its psychic energy into the spoon it was holding, sending a ball of power flying at Pidgeotto.

"Jooooooootttt!" Pidgeotto screeched.

"Sand Attack!" Jillian called. Pidgeotto flapped its powerful wings, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"D-dabra!" Kadabra moaned as it rubbed its dirt encrusted eyes.

"So that's how you're playing it? Kadabra, use Kinesis!" Jenny commanded.

"Kaaaadabra!" Kadabra cried, and aimed its spoon at Pidgeotto. "Daaaaabra!" it cried, focusing its energy through the spoon, bending it in the process.

"Pidjaaaah..." Pidgeotto gaped in awe. The Flying Pokemon was so fascinated in Kadabra's trick, that it could not focus on its aim.

"Focus Pidgeotto, use Wing Attack!" Jillian commanded, and Pidgeotto flew up into the air. The wings of the Pokemon then began to glow with a faint blue light, and it flew down at Kadabra at an incredible speed. Pidgeotto crashed into Kadabra, dealing a great amount of damage.

"Daabaraaa!" Kadabra cried.

"Metronome!" Jenny called, and Kadabra began to wag its fingers back and forth.

"Ka-da-bra. Ka-da-bra." the Pokemon recited as it wagged its fingers. "Kadabra!" it cried, and its entire body began to glow with an incredible bright light. An instant later, the light became an insane explosion, knocking both of the trainers off their feet.

"Kadabra!" Jenny called to her Pokemon.

"Pidgeotto!" Jillian called to hers, running up to it and pulling it into her arms.

"Th-that was Explosion..." Matt said.

"Well, that was an unfortunate fortune... Kadabra, return." Jenny said, and Kadabra was turned back into a red energy and pulled back into the PokeBall.

"Return Pidgeotto!" Jillian called to the Normal and Flying Pokemon. "Alrighty then, let's go Sandshrew!"

"Sand sandshrew!" the Mouse Pokemon squealed as it was released from its ball.

"Zubat!" Jenny cried, tossing her ball into the air. The PokeBall opened in midair, exploding into a bright, white light.

"Zu zubatto!" Zubat cried.

"Zubat versus Sandshrew? Well, that cancels out any Ground Type attacks from Sandshrew... if it even knows any..." Matt said to himself, trying to figure out who he should root for.

"Alright, let's go Sandshrew, use Swift!" Jillian commanded.

"Sando!" Sandshrew shrieked, and shot a beam of star-shaped energy at Zubat.

"Zuuuuuu zu baaah!" Zubat cried as it was pummeled by the ray of stars.

"Use Bite!" Jenny commanded, and the Bat Pokemon swooped down at Sandshrew, clamping down on it and piercing the Ground Type's tough skin with its sharp fangs.

"S-saaaaand!" Sandshrew cried.

"Sandshrew, use Slash!" Jillian commanded.

"Saaaahnd!" Sandshrew shrieked, and jumped into the air, slashing at Zubat with its sharp claws.

"Okie, let's try Leech Life!" Jenny commanded.

"Zuu zubaat!" Zubat screeched, and swooped down at Sandshrew, singing its fangs back into the same bite holes it had left before, and began to suck the energy from the Pokemon's body.

"Use Slash again!" Jillian commanded, and Sandshrew leaped up at Zubat, attempting to slash at it with its claws.

"Zuu zuubat!" Zubat cried at it flew just out of Sandshrew reach.

"Now, use Supersonic!" Jenny cried.

"!" Zubat let out a high pitched screech, so high, that Jillian nor Jenny could hear it. Matt, however, could hear it very well.

"Gaaaah! My ears!" Matt bellowed, holding his ears and falling over on his side.

"Sand? Sandshrew?" Sandshrew asked, looking around at its environment. It was obviously very confused.

"Sandshrew! Use Slash!" Jillian commanded.

"Shrew!" Sandshrew called, jumping straight up into the air, and then directly back down head-first, crashing into the hard ground. "S-sahnnn..." the Pokemon moaned.

"Leech Life!" Jenny commanded, and Zubat flew down to Sandshrew, sucking the last bit of energy from the Pokemon's body.

"Sh-shrew..." Sandshrew said, and toppled over.

"Sandshrew! No!" Jillian screamed, and ran up to her Pokemon. "Its... its okay Sandshrew... you did great. Now take a good rest." she said, putting her Pokemon back into its PokeBall.

"Wh-what are you going to do now?" Matt asked. "Y-you don't have any more Pokemon."

"Yes I do..." Jillian said, and pulled a third PokeBall from her purse. "Let's go, defend our love!" she cried, tossing the ball into the air.

"Baaaaahl." the small, brown, fox-like Pokemon yawned as it appeared from the flash.

"A Vulpix?" Matt said, and quickly pulled out his PokeDex.

"_Vulpix, the Fox Pokemon. At the time of birth, it had only one tail. The tails split from its tip as it grows older._" the PokeDex said in its simulated voice.

"S-since when do you have a Vulpix?" Matt asked.

"I caught it while I was waiting on you to get back from your walk!" Jillian said. "Alright Vulpix, let's heat this battle up!"

"B-but... what?" Matt said.

"Zubat, use Wing Attack!" Jillian commanded, and Zubat flew down at Vulpix with its wings blowing with a faint light.

"Vaaaaahl paaax!" Vulpix cried as the Bat Pokemon slashed at it with one of its wings.

"Vulpix, use Ember!" Jillian called.

"Balpix!" Vulpix cried, and shook its multiple tails at Zubat, sending a shower of hot sparks down on the Poison and Flying Pokemon.

"Z-zuuuuubatto!" Zubat cried, as the Ember singed its body.

"No! Zubat!" Jenny cried, seeing the large burn mark on her Pokemon. Zubat was badly burned, which not only continued to make the Pokemon suffer, but also affected its power. "Okay Zubat, use Bite!"

"Use Confuse Ray!" Jillian called out.

"Vuuuuulpix!" the Fox Pokemon cried, and shot a yellow ball of light from its mouth.

The ball of light flew up to Zubat, encircling the Pokemon, stopping it from continuing the Bite attack. "Zubat?" the Pokemon said, and the ball of light shot up inside Zubat through its belly. "Zubat?" Zubat then continued its attack, but this time, it flew up high into the air, and then straight back down crashing its teeth into the ground.

"Return Zubat." Jenny said, calling her fainted Pokemon back into is PokeBall. "Now... this battle is about to heat up big time." she said, pulling out her their PokeBall. Jenny quickly kissed the top of it, and then tossed it into the air.

"Vuuuuulpix!" Jenny's Pokemon appeared on the field.

"Another Vulpix?" Matt gasped.

"I heard you say that you just caught that Pokemon, so I thought I'd show you how strong my Vulpix is." Jenny said, smiled, and pushed her hair back behind her ears. "Let's go, Vulpix, use Quick Attack!"

"Dodge it Vulpix!" Jillian commanded, but Jenny's Vulpix slammed into Jillian's. "Okay, use your Quick Attack!" she commanded, and her Vulpix crashed into Jenny's, causing critical damage.

"Tail Whip!" Jenny called, and Vulpix turned and started to wag its tail at Jillian's Vulpix.

"Use Ember!" Jillian commanded, and her Vulpix let go a shower of sparks. The attack wasn't very effective, but it wasn't the power that Jillian was after. "Yes! Its burned!" she cheered.

"Uh oh..." Jenny said, trying to think quickly. "Use Confuse Ray!" she commanded, and a ball of light entered Jillian's Vulpix, confusing it.

"No!" Jillian cried. "Come on Vulpix, try using Quick Attack!" she commanded, and Vulpix charged towards its foe at lightning speed.

"Vaaaaahl!" Jenny's Vulpix cried.

"D-darn!" Jenny said. "Well, I've gotta try and win this fast now... Vulpix, use Double Edge!" she commanded.

"D-Double Edge?" Matt and Jillian said in unison.

"Vulllllllllllll!" Jenny's Vulpix cried, and then charged at Jillian's with incredible force, slamming into it.

"V-vulpix..." both Pokemon said, and fell over on their sides.

"Wh-what?" Jenny screamed, and ran over to her Pokemon.

"No! This can't happen!" Jillian cried.

"Yes!" Matt hollered, jumping into the air, raising his fist.

The girls both returned their Pokemon to their pockets, and walked up to each other. "Well... that didn't turn out like I had hoped." Jenny said, offering Jillian her hand.

Jillian shook it, and smiled. "I guess that means that our hearts can't be settled with just a Pokemon battle. Right Matt?" she asked, turning to the boy, who was nowhere in sight.


	37. Round One

OUTSIDE OF PALLET TOWN

Matt's Party: Ivysaur, Diglett, Spearow, Krabby, Pikachu, and Cubone

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Round One

"Thank you very much ma'am" they young red-haired girl said as the nurse handed her back her PokeBalls. Jillian placed them in her purse and left the Pokemon Center in search of her friend. "Now, I know he has to be in the city... but where to look?" she asked herself. After her battle with Matt's friend Jenny, he had run off. She had originally thought she would catch up to him at the Pokemon Center, but it seemed that he had already been there and left.

"Celadon Game Corner Tournament?" a voice said from around the corner of the Pokemon Center. Jillian found Matt staring up at a poster posted on the wall.

"Matt!" she exclaimed. "Why did you run off like that?"

"Huh? Oh, Jillian. What are you talking about, I didn't run off." he said, and looked back up at the sign.

"What do you mean you didn't run off!" she shouted at him.

"Here, take a look at this. It looks like the Celadon Game Corner is holding some kind of tournament." he said.

"A Pokemon tournament?" Jillian asked, and he nodded. "Are you going to enter it?"

"Yeah... I think I am. The prize for each place in the tournament is a certain amount of coins. The same coins you get from the Game Corner itself. Huh, it must be a way for the Game Corner to get business from kids without they using their gambling machines." Matt said. "And it only costs ¥150, so why not?"

"I guess... but how strong are these trainers going to be?" Jillian asked, looking a bit worried.

"Oh, it looks like there are different categories. There is a tournament for trainer Levels one through three, four through six, and seven and up. I guess I'm in the one through three category." he said.

"Or you could go challenge the Gym here, and get into the next category." Jillian said.

"Oh right, I forgot there was a Gym here... I think I should probably wait on that. If I'm only a Level Four trainer and get into that category, I'll be at the bottom, but at Three, I'll be on the top. The Gym's not going anywhere, so I can wait."

"I guess... Well, you'd better go sign up to make sure you are actually in the competition." Jillian said. "So... where to you register?"

"Umm... at the Celadon Department Store." he said.

"Oh, were you two looking to sign up for the CGC Tourney?" a boy asked as he walked up to the two trainers. The boy was somewhat tall for what his age appeared to be, and had brown hair with some black and brown streaked through it, and blue eyes. He wore a hat like Matt's except that he wore it backwards, with ghostly orange flames going up the side of it.

"Well, he was. I'm probably just going to watch." Jillian said, completely uninterested in what the boy had to say.

"Yeah, I was thinking about it. Why, are you?" Matt asked.

"Yup. The name's Samuel." he said, and Matt shook his hand. "Listen, if you really want to enter, you'd better hurry. They allow only a certain amount of trainers for every category, and the tournament starts tonight." Samuel said.

"R-really? Shoot, Jillian, we gotta go!" he said, grabbing the girl by the hand, making her blush. "Thanks Samuel!" Matt said, and ran off, pulling the girl behind him.

The two trainers ran through the bustling city, pushing passed anyone who got in their way. There was no way Matt was going to miss the sign up for his first tournament. "Welcome to the Celadon City Dept. Store. How may I help you?" a young lady asked from behind her desk.

"I w-would like to sign up for the tournament." Matt said.

"Oh, splendid. What category would you like to sign up for?" she asked, and Matt showed her his three badges."Cerulean City's Cascade Badge, Pewter City's Boulder Badge, and Vermilion City's Thunder Badge. Okay, it all checks out, you are eligible for the Level Three division. Can I get your name and hometown?"

"Umm... Matthew from Pallet Town." he answered.

"Pallet Town eh? We don't normally get you small town kids around here." she said, and wrote a few things down on a piece of paper. "Okay, now all I need is your ¥1,500 entrance fee."

"W-wow... that's kind of a lot..." Jillian said before Matt could hand the clerk the money.

"Oh, but its well worth it. Depending on what you place in the tournament, you will be awarded with a fabulous prize. Coins for the Celadon Game Corner!" the clerk said with a large smile on her face.

"Okay,... that still doesn't make me feel any better. What's the use of the coins if kids like us can't use the slot machines?" Jillian asked.

"Y-yeah, I didn't think of that." Matt said, slowly bringing his hand out of his pocket.

"Oh, don't worry about that. Though its true you aren't old enough to gamble, you can still cash the coins in for prizes like TMs and Pokemon." the clerk said.

"P-Pokemon? You mean I could win a Pokemon?" Matt asked, starting to grab for the money again.

"Well, you'd be winning the coins to retrieve the Pokemon, but in a way, yes." she said, and Matt handed her the money. "Alright then, Matthew of Pallet is registered as 29D. I wish you good luck" the clerk said, handing Matt a red paper circle with "29D" written on it in black. "Now what about you little girl, would you like to register?"

"No, it think I'm just going to watch..." Jillian said.

"Oh, okay then. Well, the tournament doesn't start for a few hours. So have fun, and be at the town square by four o'clock." the clerk said, and a boy with spiky, brown hair and square-rimmed glasses walked up to her counter. "May I help you?"

"So, now what do you wanna do?" Matt asked.

"Well, we are in a department store... so..." she started.

"Fine... but I'm not shopping with you. My mom used to make me shop with her, and if all women are alike, I'm never shopping with them again." Matt said, and walked away from her.

"Hey kid, wanna try a sample of my special vitamin milkshakes? They do amazing stuff to Pokemon!" one clerk called to Matt from his stand.

"Need some Potions? I'm your man!" another clerk called.

Matt was looking for something special, yet affordable. He had a few Super Potions, and he could buy them almost anywhere, and the vitamin milkshakes were way too expensive. This seemed to be quite difficult, seeing that he only had ¥3,600 left after paying the entrance fee. He searched on the second floor of the store, only to find PokeBalls, Potions, Paralyz Heals, and that sort of thing, and then he went to the third floor, but found it only sold video games, which were of no use to him.

"Elemental stones here! Get your elemental evolution stones!" a woman called from her counter.

"Evolution stones?" Matt asked himself, and approached the woman.

"Heya kid, you got a Pokemon you want ta evolve?" she asked him. The woman seemed like she was in her early thirties, and still had a little "spunk" in her.

"I can evolve my Pokemon with these stones?" he asked, looking down at a display of four different kinds of stones.

"Right you are. This here Water Stone can make Pokemon like Shellder evolve, a Fire Stone makes Pokemon like Vulpix, evolve, a Thunderstone makes Pikachu and Eevee evolve, and this little Leaf Stone makes Pokemon like Exeggute and Gloom evolve. Pretty cool huh?" she asked, taking one of each stone out of the case, and displaying them more clearly in front of Matthew.

"This one can m-make Pikachu evolve?" Matt asked, picking up semi-transparent green stone with what looked like a golden lightning bolt running through it.

"That's correct, and it'll only cost ya ¥2,100!" she said.

"I dunno... I would like to evolve my Pikachu..." Matt said, and pulled his money out of his pocket. "You know what. I'll take it!" he said handing her the money and picking up the Thunderstone. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome kid. Just know that if you evolve your Pikachu into Raichu, it won't learn any new moves naturally, and the only way it will learn a new one is through a TM. Yes, it will be much stronger,... but... Well, that's for you to decide." the woman said.

"Hmm... well... that's is a situation..." Matt thought to himself. "Well, I don't need to evolve it right away. I've already got the stone, so I can evolve it whenever I want. Maybe I'll wait 'till it learns a few new good moves, and then evolve it."

He put the Thunderstone away in the bag, and headed back downstairs. After registering and buying the sparkling stone, he only had ¥1,500 left, and he knew he had to save some of it for the Gym. "Pst, hey kid. C'mer kid!" an older man called to Matt from behind a counter.

"Y-yes?" Matt asked, approaching him.

"You joining that tourney?" he asked the boy.

"Y-yes I am... Why?" Matt asked.

"Here. Take this, I think it will help." the older man said, handing Matt a disk in a case. The disk looked similar to the TM that he had received from the Gym Leaders, but more of a bronze color. "Its Counter, not like the one I'm leaning on though,..." he laughed. "Its a Pokemon move! Your Pokemon absorbs an attack from the opponent, and sends the attack power back at it, with double the power!"

"Wh-what! Th-that's incredible!" Matt said, looking deeply into his reflection in the TM. "Thank you so much! W-wait, how much is this thing gonna cost me?" he asked, thinking about he light wallet.

"Absolutely nothing! I've been working with a man named Dr. TM, and we just developed this move, and we're just aching to test it out!" the man said. "Now get outta here kid! You don't wanna miss your battle!" he said, and Matt looked at the wall clock, realizing that it was almost time for the tournament to start.

Matt put the TM away, and ran out of the department store, and then to the town square.

"And now its time for the fifteenth battle of round one here in the 'D' block!" the announcer called. It was now two hours into the tournament, and it was time for Matt to battle his opponent. The tournament was set into four blocks, each with thirty-two trainers. Matt was number twenty-nine of the 'D' block, which meant he was one of the last battles of the day. "This will be a battle between trainer 29D, Matt hew of Pallet Town, and trainer 30D, Andrew of Blackthorn! As with all first round battles, this will be a one-on-one battle with no substitutions. So no trainer has an early advantage over each other, the Pokemon they are going to use in this battle were chosen earlier. Matthew has chosen his Cubone, and Andrew has chosen his Rattata! Let the battle begin!"

Matt tossed his PokeBall into the air, and the Lonely Pokemon appeared at his feet. "Cue?" Cubone asked, looking up at its trainer. "Cu cu cu cuuuu!" it cried, realizing that Matt wanted it to battle.

"Don't worry Cubone, everything is going to be fine." he said, reassuring his Pokemon.

"Let's go!" Matt's opponent said, tossing his GreatBall into the air. Matt realized that this was the same trainer that signed up right after him. Andrew had brown hair and square-rimmed glasses. He looked somewhat younger than Matt, despite the fact that he had to be at least ten to be a trainer. He wore a plain black shirt with blue jeans, and had a red scarf wrapped around his neck.

"Raaaaaaaa!" the Pokemon cried as it was released from its pocket.

"A Rattata? Well, that's not to bad, is it Cubone?" Matt asked his Pokemon.

"C-cubone..." the Pokemon said.

"Quick Attack, now Rattata!" Andy commanded, and Rattata leaped at Cubone at an incredible speed.

"Buuuu!" Cubone cried as Rattata crashed into it. "C-cu cu cu!" Cubone said, almost ready to cry.

"Come on Cubone, I know you can do it! Use Bone Club!" Matt commanded.

"C-cue? C-cubone..." the Lonely Pokemon said, nodded, and leaped forward, striking Rattata in the head with its bone.

"Raaaaaahtaaaaa!" Rattata cried. The attack did critical damage.

"Damn! Okay Rattata, you know we can beat this little Cubone. Use Focus Energy!" Andy cried, and Rattata began to focus on Cubone's vulnerable points.

"Headbutt!" Matt called.

"Cuboooooooooooooow!" Cubone cried as it charged at Rattata with its head down. It appeared to have gained a bit of confidence.

"Koooraaaaaah!" Rattata cried as it skidded across the arena floor.

"Now Rattata, use Hyper Fang!" Matt's opponent commanded.

Matt knew that Hyper Fang was a powerful attack, his own Raticate had proved that to him many times before. He had counter this attack, or it could be all over in the first round, if not by this attack, but most certainly the next. "Counter!" the trainer commanded.

"Cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuubone!" Cubone shouted, and its body became cloaked in a faint blue light. Rattata's fangs plunged into Cubone's body, dealing massive damage.

"Come on Cubone! You can hold on! I know it!" Matt called to his Pokemon.

"C-c-cuuuu cubone!" Cubone screamed, and then raised its bone. "Cubone!" it cried, charged at Rattata, and struck it with its bone with an extreme force, knocking it clear across the battlefield.

"Rattata! No!" Andrew cried, running to his Pokemon. "H-how can I lose this early?"

"And the victor of this battle is Matt of Pallet Town!" the announce called.

"Yes! We did it Cubone!" Matt shouted, and he scooped up his Pokemon, giving it a big hug. "I told you you could do it!"

"Congratulations Matt, you may now advance to round two!"

Matt has had an easy victory in round one of the tournament, but as everyone knows, it will only get harder from here. Can he be victorious in round two of this tournament? Find out, next time on OUTSIDE OF PALLET TOWN!

* * *

Ever wanted to play Pokemon with your friends, traveling around with them, battling, trading, ect.? Well, then how would you like to play a Pokemon MMORPG? Now, I have no clue how to make one myself, but I would like to gather a group of Pokemon fans in order to make an awesome Pokemon experience for everyone.

Come to projpkmnelemental . forumup . com to sign up. Even if you don't know anything about Pokemon, you can still strike up friendships in the chat area.


	38. Round Two

OUTSIDE OF PALLET TOWN

Matt's Party: Matt has no definite party during the tournament, as he may switch Pokemon.

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Round Two

After his victory over Andy in the first round of the Celadon Game Corner Tournament, Matt and Jillian spent the night in the Celadon Tower, a luxury hotel that was renting rooms out to tournament participants for free.

"I'm so impressed Matt! With both you and Cubone!" Jillian said, making Matt blush.

"Th-thanks Jillian. I'm really proud of Cubone." he said, rubbing his thumb over the red part of the PokeBall. "Well, the next round doesn't start for a few hours... what do you think we should do?"

"We could go shopping again!" she said gleefully.

"Umm... I barely have any money left... so I don't think that's the best idea. Remember, I need to save something for my Gym battle." Matt said, pulling out his last ¥1,500 and looking at it sadly.

"You could still just look around at all the neat stuff!" she said, grabbing Matt by the hand and trying to drag him out of the hotel.

"Ow! Hold on Jillian, at least let me get some breakfast first!" Matt cried, digging his feet at the ground.

"Matthew? Oh, yes, I thought that was you." the familiar voice of an older man called to Matt, and Jillian let go of his hand, causing him to fall on his bottom.

"Pr-Professor Oak?" Matt said with a smile, climbing to his feet. "What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you the same question Matthew. Kayne told me that he won the badge from this town over two weeks ago. I thought you two were going in the same direction, or maybe I was wrong."

"No... you're right. I just haven't beaten the Gym here yet..." Mat said, looking down at his feet.

"He's competing in the Game Corner thingy." Jillian said.

"Oh, he is? Shouldn't you be focusing on the Gym, and not some tournament?" Oak asked. "Oh, and by-the-way, who are you young lady? Matt's girlfriend?"

"Yup!" Jillian said with a beaming grin.

"N-no she's not! She's just a friend of mine!" Matt shouted. "And I know I should be focusing on the Gyms... but I just feel that I should really try in this tournament. I had a horrible time with the last Gym I challenged, so I think that a little extra training will be good for me."

"Okay, okay, I suppose I understand. Just know that everyday you spend training, my grandson get's a little farther ahead of you." Professor Oak said.

"Yeah... I know..." Matt said, shuffling his feet. "So... what _are_ you doing here Professor?"

"Oh, right... Well, I'm here to do a little research." Professor Oak said, suddenly acting a bit suspicious.

"Research?" Jillian asked.

"Oh, Jillian, this is Professor Oak. He studies the different types of Pokemon in my home town." Matt explained.

"That reminds me... Matthew, could I talk to you for a moment?" the professor asked, looking over at Jillian. "In private please?"

"Sure Professor, we can talk in our room." Matt said.

"Okay, well, I'm gonna go shopping. Meet me at the store when you're done Matt." Jillian said and left the two men.

Professor Oak and Matthew walked into the hotel room, and Oak sat down in the desk chair. "So... what did you want to talk about?"

Oak sighed, and looked around the room. "Do you remember what you told me a few months ago, over the video phone in Cerulean?"

"Shh! Listen you idiot!" a man in a black uniform shushed his partner. They were standing outside of a hotel door, listening in on the conversation.

"Richard, did you hear that? That guy said he thi-" the man's partner started to say.

"Shut up! I heard him. Now let's get out of here and report this to Sakaki. I knew following that old guy would pay off." Richard said, and the two men left the door.

"You mean about... Mew?" Matt asked, suddenly very intrigued. "But you told me to forget about it, remember?"

"Yes, I remember. However, when you told me about that... thing you saw, I became slightly curious, and started looking at old legends." the professor explained. "What I found,... almost baffled me. It seemed that Mew was found in the old legends of every culture. Even in the earliest of cultures, the earliest of recorded history, there seems to be some text or image of a small, catlike Pokemon with incredible powers."

"Mew?" Matt asked.

"That's what I'm thinking. Of course, some would say its just a cave painting of a Persian,... but the legend of its power... its incredible power... These early cultures believed that Mew was the ancestor to all living things, both Pokemon and humans." Oak said, then suddenly became quiet, and act as if he were listening for something. "Anyways, what I'm saying is that Mew might have actually existed out of legends, but many years ago, thousands even. That means that its possible, but not very likely, that the creature you saw outside of Cerulean was indeed a Mew. Its a good think Daisy convinced me to program it into the PokeDex, or you may have never found it."

"I saw a Mew, an actual Mew?" Matt asked, amazed at himself.

"Possibly." Oak said with a sly smile. "Now, you should probably be getting ready for that tournament. Doesn't it start in a few hours?"

"Yes, I guess I should." Matt said, and Professor Oak stood up. "Oh Professor..." he said, remembering something he wanted to tell Oak.

"Yes, what is it?" Oak asked.

"Oh,... never mind." Matt said. He had wanted to tell him about the Moltres he saw, but figured he had better not. He felt he had better not chance anything just yet. "Are you going to watch the tournament?"

"I wish I could, but I have to get back to Pallet Town. The Elite Four are there waiting for me." Oak said, brushing a bit of lint from his jacket.

"The Elite Four are there?" Matt asked.

"Yeah, its just a little meeting of sorts. I can't really talk about it much more." he said. "Alright, good luck out there boy." Oak said, and walked out of the room.

"And here we go! The next battle in round two of the tournament! This will be a battle of the Matt's!" the announcer shouted into his microphone as Matt stood at the edge of the arena. The stadium surrounding Matt was filled with spectators, but he did not feel the slightest bit nervous. In the South corner, we have participant 29D, Matthew of Pallet Town. In the North corner, we have participant 32D, our very own Matt of Celadon!"

Matt looked over the battlefield at his opponent. The other Matt appeared to be around the same age, but with light blonde hair, and he was wearing a white jacket over a black shirt. He looked very dressed up for a tournament, and Matt wondered if he was a rich trainer who was just given a strong Pokemon by his parents, especially since he was from Celadon.

"In this battle, each trainer will you two Pokemon. The first trainer to have both of their Pokemon faint loses." the announcer said, and then looked over at the other Matt. "Heads or tails?" he asked the blonde trainer.

"Tails I guess." the blonde Matt said.

The announcer flipped a coin up into the air, and then flipped it over on his hand. "Heads. Matthew of Pallet may chose his Pokemon first!"

"Gr-great..." Matt said, fumbling with his PokeBalls. He was counting on being able to chose second, and he hadn't planned for this. "Okay then, go Krabby!" Matt shouted, tossing the PokeBall into the air.

"Kurib kurib!" Krabby cried as it appeared in a flash of light.

"And let's go Machoke!" the blonde boy said, tossing his PokeBall.

"Chaaaaaaaaaaaak!" Machoke said smugly, flexing its massive muscles.

Matt sighed with relief. He had thought that the other trainer would pick an Electric Pokemon, or something with a Type advantage. Machoke was a strong Pokemon, but at least Krabby still had a chance.

"Crimson, you've got first move!" the announcer shouted.

"Okay, let's go Krabby! Use ViceGrip!" Matt commanded.

"Kuuuuuuuu!" the River Crab Pokemon cried, and clamped its powerful claw down onto Machoke.

"Chaaaaaaaaak!" Machoke cried, holding its injured arm.

"Machoke, use Karate Chop!" the blonde trainer commanded, and Machoke chopped Krabby off of its arm.

"Kurib!" Krabby cried as it was smacked to the ground.

"BubbleBeam!" Matt shouted, and Krabby unleashed a fury of bubbles at Machoke, which slammed hard into the Superpower Pokemon's chest.

"Maaaachachachaaaaaake!" Machoke cried.

"Machoke, use Leer!" Matt's opponent commanded, and the Machoke began to glare harshly at Krabby.

"K-kurib..." Krabby whimpered, as its defense was lowered.

"Now use your Leer, Krabby!"" Matt commanded, but the attack failed.

"Finish this quickly Machoke, use Mega Kick!" the other Matt cried, and the hulking Pokemon swung a glowing foot at Krabby, sending it flying.

"Kuuuuuuuuriiiiiiiib!" Krabby cried as it flew through the air. "K-ku-kurriibbbb..." Krabby moaned.

"Krabby!" Matt called to his Pokemon.

"Hehehe, go ahead and call it ref." the other Matt said, and Machoke started to flex its muscles.

"K-kurib!" Krabby cried, and suddenly stood back on its feet.

"Yes! I knew you were great Krabby! Now use Guillotine!" Matt commanded, and Krabby flew at Machoke with a glowing, open claw.

"Kuuuuuurrrriiiiib!" the Pokemon cried as it leaped forward, and clamped the glowing claw around Machoke's neck.

"Choke choke chak choke!" the Machoke chuckled, not feeling anything.

"End it Machoke. Use Mega Kick!" the other Matt commanded, and Machoke grabbed Krabby in its hand, and punted it with a seriously powerful Mega Kick.

"Krabby!" Matt called, and looked at his Pokemon laying unconscious on the arena floor. "No... Krabby... return." he said, calling his Pokemon back. "You did a great job friend, don't feel bad."

"Ooooh, looks like Krabby is out of the battle? What Pokemon will Matt of Pallet use next?" the announcer asked the audience.

Matt wiped a tear from his eye, and then pulled out his next PokeBall. "Go Spearow!"

"Speaaaaaaaaa!" the Flying and Normal Pokemon screeched as it was released from the ball.

"Sp-Spearow? Uh-oh, this might be trouble Machoke..." the other Matt said to his Pokemon.

"Maaach!" Machoke said in agreement.

"Alright Spearow, use Fury Attack!" Matt commanded, and Spearow flew down at Machoke, pecking at it furiously with its sharp beak.

"Maachachcahaaaaa!" Machoke cried out.

"Machoke, get rid of that pesky bird now! Use Mega Kick!" the other Matt cried out, and Machoke swung its glowing foot at Spearow, striking it in the head.

"Spraaaaah!" Spearow cried.

"Go, use Mirror Move!" Matt commanded.

"Spraaah!" the Flying Pokemon cried out, and flew down at Machoke at an extreme speed. It turned on its back, and struck Machoke in the face with a glowing talon.

"Maaaaach!" Machoke shouted as it flew backwards, landing head first into the floor. "Ch-choke..." it moaned, and fell unconscious.

"Machoke!" the blonde Matt cried, and he ran to his Pokemon. "Its okay Machoke, you were amazing out there!" he said to his Pokemon, holding its head up slightly and then put it back into its PokeBall. "Now, try getting past my next Pokemon! Go Scyther!" he cried, tossing a PokeBall into the air.

"Scy-Scy-Scyther?" Matt asked, knowing what a powerful Pokemon it was.

The green, mantis-like Pokemon appeared from the ball in a flash of light, and began sharpening its scythe like arms. "_Scyther, the Mantis Pokemon. With ninja-like agility and speed, it can create the illusion that there is more than one._" the PokeDex stated.

"Alright Spearow, I know we can compete with that speed!" Matt called to his Pokemon.

"Spraaaah!" Spearow replied.

"Quick, use Double Team!" the other Matt commanded, and with Scyther's incredible speed, the Pokemon looked as if it had made copies of itself.

Matt looked at the three Scyther, and thought for a second. "I can't tell which one is which, so I'll just have to attack. The odds are against me, but its not a horrible chance." he thought. "Spearow, attack the middle one with Peck!"

"Speaaaraaah!" Spearow cried, and flew at the middle Pokemon, attempting to peck at it, but ended up flying through it.

"D-darn!" Matt said.

"Slash!" the other trainer commanded, and in a flash, Scyther slashed at Spearow with its sharp arms.

"Roooooooow!" Spearow cried out as it was slashed across the breast.

"Peck, now!" Matt cried out, as Scyther had revealed itself.

Spearow flew down at the Bug Pokemon, almost as fast as Scyther had moved, pecking at it in the head with its powerful beak.

"Saaaaaaaaai!" Scyther cried out.

"Finish this kid off Scyther, use Skull Bash!" the other Matt shouted, furious now.

"Saaaaaaaaaaiiiii... thaaa!" Scyther let out a shriek, and flew at Spearow like a rocket, aiming its head straight for the Flying Pokemon.

"Spearow, dodge it!" Matt commanded, and Spearow flew up into the air.

"Raaaaaaaaa!" Spearow cried as the Skull Bash nicked its feet.

"What? How is that even possible?" Matt from Celadon screamed across the field.

"Now Spearow, Mirror Move!" Matt from Pallet commanded, and Spearow flew down at Scyther at equal the Bug Pokemon's speed, and crashed into it like a supersonic rocket.

"Scy... thaaaaaa..." Scyther let out one last whimper, and then collapsed.

"And the battle goes to Matthew Crimson!" the referee called, and the crowed began to cheer. The other Matt put Scyther back into his PokeBall, and left the stadium. "He man now advance to Round Three of the tournament!"

"Yes! We did it Spearow!" Matt cried, and ran up to the injured Pokemon.

"Spaaaar speaaarow!" Spearow cried back, and then something happened. Its body began to glow with a white light.

"Sp-Spearow?" Matt asked, and the Pokemon began to change shape and size. "Yes! This is amazing!"

"Feaaaaaaaaar!" the large bird-like Pokemon cried. It had massive wings, a long, sharp beak, and an overall powerful body..

"Fearow, The Beak Pokemon. With its huge magnificent wings, it can stay aloft without ever having to rest." the PokeDex stated.

"Yes! I have a Fearow!" Matt jumped up with glee, hugging on to the Fearow's long neck.


	39. Round Three

OUTSIDE OF PALLET TOWN

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Round Three

"And here we go! The next battle, in fact, the last battle of round three!" the referee shouted into his microphone, making Matt cover his ears. "In the South corner, we have number 29D, Matthew Crimson! Matthew has shown great power in this tourney so far, crushing his first opponent quickly, and then making an epic comeback in the second round! What surprises will Mr. Crimson have in store for us today?"

"Oh... god..." Matt said, looking down at his feet in embarrassment.

"In the North corner, we have 25D, the boy known only as Kook!" the referee shouted, and Matt looked over at his opponent. Kook appeared to be much older than Matt, with straight black hair, and a black outfit. Matt could barely see the boys eyes under is black cap. The dark appearance of the young man made Matt shudder. "Kook dominated his last two opponents with ferocious power! Let's see how these two fair together in battle!"

Kook looked over at Matt, and stared straight into his eyes. "Get ready kid. I may have started my Pokemon journey a bit later than normal, but that doesn't make me slow." he said, grinning under the cap.

"This will be a three-on-three Pokemon battle, with no substitutions. The first trainer to have all three of their Pokemon faint is the loser! Kook, heads or tails?" the referee asked, holding a coin in his hand.

"Tails, I suppose." he said, without taking his eyes from Matt.

The official used his thumb to flick the coin into the air. "Heads it is, Crimson, you go first!"

"Pikachu, go!" Matt shouted, and the Mouse Pokemon appeared in a flash of light.

"Pikachu, eh? Mankey, you're up!" Kook said, letting his PokeBall drop from his hand. The ball popped open, as soon as it hit the ground.

"Man man man maaaaaankey!" the Pig-Monkey Pokemon screeched as it thrashed around.

Matt took a deep breath, and looked down at his Pikachu. "Ready? Good. Use Quick Attack!" he commanded, and Pikachu lunged at Mankey at an incredible speed, nearly as fast as lightning.

"Mankey, use Focus Energy." Kook said calmly.

"Pikaaaaa!" Pikachu cried as it slammed its entire body into Mankey.

"K-key!" the Fighting type grunted, and then began focusing its power. It tightened each of its muscles, and focused its mind on Pikachu.

"Now Pikachu, use Double Team!" the younger trainer called, and Pikachu began moving quickly again. This time, however, it was moving so quickly, it seemed to be duplicating itself.

"Focus Mankey, and use Karate Chop." Kook said.

"Man man mankey!" Mankey screeched as it jumped into the air. It brought its palm down straight onto Pikachu's head, making the Mouse Pokemon stumble backwards.

"Pika pika pika!" Pikachu murmured as it rubbed its head. "Pikachu!" it growled.

"Hurry, use Thunder Wave!" Matt commanded.

"Piiiikachu!" the Electric Pokemon cried, sending a wave of blue electricity hurling at Mankey.

"Dodge it, and use Low Kick." Kook said with a grin.

"Maaaaankey!" it screeched, and ducked beneath the Thunder Wave, and then swung its foot beneath Pikachu, causing it to fall on its nose.

"Pikachu!" Matt called to his Pokemon.

"P-pi..." Pikachu grunted as it picked itself up off the ground. "P-pi... pikaaa pikahahaha chaaahaauuu!" it began laughing hysterically at Mankey, making Mankey back off a bit.

"That's the spirit! Pikachu, use Thunder Wave again!" Matt shouted to his Pokemon.

"Chaaaaauuuu!" Pikachu cried, sending another wave at Mankey.

"Again, dodge it Mankey, and us-" Kook began to say, but was too slow. Pikachu had already launched its attack.

"Cheeeeeeeee!" Mankey cried, as the blue electricity flowed through its body. "Che-che-che-che."

"Cha cha cha!" Pikachu laughed.

"Mankey's paralyzed? Well, this was unexpected." Kook said, but the expression on his face did not change.

"Now Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Matt commanded, shouting and getting caught up in his lucky moment.

"Piiii kaaaa chaaaaawaaaa!" the yellow, mouse-like Pokemon cried, sending a powerful bold of orange electricity hurling at Mankey.

"K-key..." Mankey groaned, and then fell forward onto its face.

"Mankey, return." Kook said, calling his Pokemon back. "You're next up." he said, dropping another PokeBall.

"Meeeeeleon!" the reddish, lizard-like Pokemon said. It whipped its flaming tail back-and-forth, showering the arena in sparks.

"Pikachu, you think you're up for a Charmeleon?" Matt asked his Pokemon.

"Pika pikachu!" it squealed its response. Pikachu's cheeks flashed with blue and orange electricity. "Chahaha."

"Charmeleon, my friend, use Rage." Kook said.

"Chaaaaaa!" Charmeleon growled, charging at Pikachu.

"Go, Pikachu, use Thunder Wave!" Matt commanded, and Pikachu began charging its cheeks.

"Char meil eyan!" the Fire Pokemon cried as it slashed at Pikachu with its sharp claws.

"Pikaaaachau!" Pikachu squeaked, ignoring the pain of the attack, and hitting Charmeleon at close range.

"Ch-chaar!" Charmeleon moaned, as the sparks danced across its body.

"Again, eh? Okay, fine. Charmeleon, use Rage." Kook said, using the same tone he had through out the entire battle.

"Meleon!" Charmeleon cried, as it slashed back at Pikachu. "Meeeeeeeleeeeeoooon!" it bellowed. The flame on the tip of its tail began to grow, and the look on its face was pure anger.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Matt commanded, feeling quite excited by the intense battle.

"Chaaaaaa pikaaaa!" the Electric Type cried out, electrocuting Charmeleon with intense power.

"Ch-char..." it grunted, and staggered for a moment.

"Rage." Kook stated.

"Chaaaaaarmeleon!" the flame on Charmeleon's tail had now grown to the size of Pikachu itself, and Charmeleon slashed at Pikachu with intense strength, sending it flying backwards.

"Pikachu?" Matt said. "Oh God, I'm so stupid!" he said to himself, realizing that he had forgotten the ability of Rage. Rage's power was now extra powerful, and if Pikachu took another hit, it would be all over.

"Pikachu... end it now! Use Thunderbolt!" Matt shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Piiii... kaaaaaa..." Pikachu cried, charging up its power.

"Slash." Kook said with a grin.

"Chaaaaaa!" the Mouse Pokemon squealed as Charmeleon's claw dug deep into its side. Pikachu was tossed out of the arena, where it laid, motionless.

"Pikachu!" Matt cried, and ran over to his Pokemon. Pikachu was utterly unconscious. "Return Pikachu. You battled hard, just as always." he said, putting it away for a rest.

"That's a good Pikachu you have there. It seems like a good partner." Kook said from across the arena.

"Y-yeah,... it is." Matt said, and contemplated his next move. "Go Diglett!" he said, tossing his PokeBall into the air.

"Digdadi!" the Mole Pokemon cried, and began to tunnel in a circle.

"Oh great... we're gonna have to repair the arena after this battle..." the referee said to himself.

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

"Sakaki sir, we have good news." Richard said to the screen.

"What is it?" asked the man on the other end of the video phone.

"The Pokemon you've been searching for, we may have a lead." the other Rocket grunt said before Richard had the chance.

"Shut up, I'm reporting to the boss. Not you!" Richard said, pushing the grunt to the floor.

The man was quiet for a few moments, and then moved very close to the camera. "I don't care if you've managed to capture the Pokemon. Do not discuss this project over an unsecured line. You can not imagine the consequences if someone from the Pokemon League caught wind of this story."

"S-sorry sir. I just thought you'd want to know." Richard said with sweat dripping down the back of his neck.

"This project is the most important undertaking of Team Rocket. Of course I want to know. I'll have transport fly me out to meet you there tomorrow." Sakaki said. "Now, what is the report on the tournament?"

"Sir, its even better than I imagined. We're making a killing of a profit." Richard said.

"Excellent. Good work, Richard, you're due for a promotion." Sakaki said. "I'll speak to you again tomorrow, face-to-face."

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

"Diglett, use Sand Attack!" Matt commanded.

"Diiiiigda!" the Ground Pokemon cried, and tossed a cloud of dust into Charmeleon's eyes.

"M-meleon!" Charmeleon cried out.

"Charmeleon, use Slash." Kook said.

"Chaaaaar!" the Lizard Pokemon cried as it charged at Diglett, but halfway their, it froze in place. "Ch-chaaar!" it moaned as the sparks kept it from moving.

"Diglett, use Dig!" Matt commanded.

"Digdadi!" Diglett cried, and burrowed its way below the arena.

"Be careful friend, it could be anywhere." Kook said, and Charmeleon became quiet.

"Digdadiii!" Diglett cried as it erupted from the ground, slamming into Charmeleon's stomach.

"Meeeeeeleon!" Charmeleon grunted, as it was tossed backwards onto its back. "Ch-char..." it stammered, attempting to stand back up.

"Rage." Kook commanded of his Pokemon.

"Ch-charrr!" it cried as it charged at Diglett, holding the scrape wound on its stomach. Charmeleon slashed at Diglett in a furious rage.

"Diiiiiig!" Diglett cried. The attacked caused a deep wound over the Mole Pokemon's nose. "D-digleh...".

"Hold on their Diglett! Use Sand Attack!" Matt shouted.

"Digdadiiii!" the Mole Pokemon growled, and tossed a cloud of dirt at Charmeleon.

"Dodge it Charmeleon." Kook said calmly, but instead of dodging, Charmeleon swiped its flaming tail at the dust cloud, knocking it away, demonstrating the Pokemon's power. "Now, end it with Slash."

Meeleon!" Charmeleon screeched as it leaped into the air.

"Quick Diglett! Dodge it!" Matt shouted.

"Diiiiiiiig!" Diglett shrieked as Charmeleon sharp claws slashed across its face. "D-di-diglett..." Diglett said before it fainted.

"R-return Diglett..." the young trainer said, calling his Pokemon back into its PokeBall. Matt realized he was now in trouble. Charmeleon was obviously a high level Pokemon, higher than any of the four available Pokemon he had on his person. He had to pick his next Pokemon carefully. "Mr. Mime, its your turn!"

"Mime mime mista mime" the Barrier Pokemon cried as it was released from its PokeBall.

"Mr. Mime, eh?" Kook said.

"Mr. Mime, go and use Double Slap!" Matt commanded of his Pokemon.

"Mime mime mista mime!" the Psychic Type shouted as it ran towards Charmeleon, and then began slapping it across the face with its broad hands.

"Char- meel- eeee- on-!" Charmeleon cried out as Mr. Mime slapped its face.

"Its a critical, and another, and another!" the referee called as each of Mr. Mime's slaps did critical damage.

"Ch-char..." Charmeleon panted.

"Wh-what?" Kook said, showing emotion for the first time in the battle. "Charmeleon, use Slash!" he commanded, and Charmeleon ran at Mr. Mime at full speed.

"Mr. Mime! Use Barrier!" Matt commanded as Charmeleon ran at his Pokemon.

"Miiista mime!" Mr. Mime cheered, creating a wall of in front of it.

"Meeeleeeeeeeeeeeooonnnnn..." Charmeleon groaned as it slammed into the psychic wall, attempting to slash at Mr. Mime. It managed to nick Mr. Mime with its claws, but did minimal damage.

"Confusion!" Matt commanded.

"Mime mime mime!" Mr. Mime chanted, and sent a ball of psychic energy hurling at Charmeleon, knocking it back.

"Ch-charrr..." the Lizard Pokemon groaned, and then fell forward, biting its tongue.

"Charmeleon, return." Kook said, calling his Pokemon back. Matt wasn't sure, but he thought he saw beads of sweat dripping down the sides of the other trainers neck. "Beedrill, its up to y-you." Kook said, dropping his last PokeBall.

"Spee spee spee!" the Wasp Pokemon cried out, thrusting its spears forward.

"B-Beedrill?" Matt asked himself. "Isn't he aware of its weakness to Psychic Pokemon?"

"Twineedle." Kook said, seemly calmer now.

"Spee!" the Bug and Poison Type cried, and flew down at Mr. Mime, jabbing at it with its poison spears.

"Miiiiime!" Mr. Mime cried out in pain. The Bug Type attack was super effective against Mr. Mime, even through the barrier.

"Oh shoot! I forgot about Bug Pokemon having the advantage over Psychics!" Matt said to himself. "Mr. Mime, use Thunderbolt!" he commanded, and Mr. Mime let out an orange bolt of energy from its fingertips, electrocuting Beedrill. He had taught Mr. Mime the attack with the TM Lt. Surge had given him.

"Wh-what the?" Kook said, watching the sparks dance across Beedrill's abdomen. "Its... its paralyzed? Shoot! Beedrill, use Twineedle again!"

"Sp-speee!" Beedrill cried, unable to move.

"No!" Kook cried out.

"This is our chance, Mr. Mime. Use Confusion!" Matt shouted, and Mr. Mime tossed a ball of psychic energy at the Wasp Pokemon, knocking it to the ground.

"Sp-spee..." Beedrill cried, and then fell unconscious.

"B-Beedrill?" Kook asked, then ran over to his Pokemon. "Beedrill! Are you okay?"

"Whoa! I don't know about you folks, but I sure didn't expect this! I thought for sure that Kook has Matt beat!" the referee called to the crowd.

"Return Mr. Mime. You were awesome out there, I couldn't have done it without you." Matt said, calling his Pokemon back. Kook walked up to Matt after returning his Beedrill to its PokeBall.

"You were pretty good out there kid. I was honestly caught off guard by your Mr. Mime." Kook said, holding out his hand.

"Th-thank you sir." Matt said, shaking it.

"Well, thanks for the battle kid. I hope you do great in the next round." the man in black said, then started to walk away. "Oh, and try not to get caught up in the 'black caps' like I did."

Matt looked around him as the crowd cheered, and smiled.

Round three of the tournament is over, and Matt Crimson was the winner. Now its onto the next round, can he keep up with the ever increasing power of these trainers?


	40. Round Four

OUTSIDE OF PALLET TOWN

Chapter Fourty: Round Four

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

The young man known as Kook had been an incredibly powerful opponent. Throughout the battle, Matthew had to stay on his toes, countering everything the other trainer threw at him. It was difficult, and by the sure luck of Type advantage, Matthew was victorious, and managed to make it to the next round. This time, however, he decided it was best to plan out his team. From what he had heard, the next battle was a full on six-on-six fight, and there was no room for error.

Early in the morning, so early that even Jillian was still asleep, Matt left the hotel, and made his way to the Pokemon Center. Outside in the city, the streets were quiet, and the only noise was the humming of the street lamps and the occasional splash of a Magikarp in a nearby pond. The Pokemon Center was almost as quite as the streets outside, except for the sounds of typing on a keyboard.

The Pokemon Center's head nurse was sitting behind a computer when Matt approached her. "Hello there, can I help you?" she asked after yawning.

"Yes, I was w-wondering if I could use a computer. I didn't know if it was too early or not." Matthew answered.

"Of course you can. The computer is available anytime of the day, even in the dead of night." she said with a smile. Matt was surprised to see someone so cheerful at this time of day.

"Thank you." he said, and lightly bowed his head, and then walked over to the PC. "Come on out Ivysaur." Matt said, pressing the button on his Pokemon's PokeBall, letting it out and onto the Pokemon Center floor.

"Sar?" Ivysaur yawned, and looked up at its master.

"Alright, now lets make a team." Matt said, and brought up his Pokemon storage box. On the computer's screen, the icons that represented all of the Pokemon he had stored appeared. "Okay, now I'm using you for sure Ivysaur..." he said, and the Seed Pokemon seemed to smile up at him. "... but now who else? I suppose I should bring Gyarados, just in case I'm in need of all that power it has... I don't think I should use Cubone in this battle, since it doesn't have much confidence yet. After I'm done with this tournament, I'll probably start training it. Now, flight could have a big effect on the battle, so I should bring Fearow. That's three now... so maybe Raticate's speed will come in handy, and Mr. Mime's psychic powers are always useful. Yeah, I'll take those two." he said. "What do you think Ivysaur?"

"Saur!" the Pokemon said, and used one of its vines to point to one of the icons on the screen.

"Pikachu? You think we should bring Pikachu then?" Matt asked, and Ivysaur nodded. "Thanks Ivysaur." he said, and then pushed the button on the computer, and the five Pokemon were instantly teleported to him.

"Sar, ivysar!" Ivysaur said, and tapped at Pikachu's pocket with its vine.

"Yeah, what about Pikachu?" Matt asked.

"Ivy, ivy saur sar!" the Pokemon said, and then began to dig into Matt's bag.

"Oh, okay. I think I know where you're going now." Matt said with a grin.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

The large black helicopter descended from the air, landing on the base. Two men in dark black uniforms stepped out of the vehicle, followed by a man in a burnt orange business suit, with slicked back, brown hair. "Celadon. Haven't been here in years." the man said.

Richard ran up to the man, and then turned, ready to escort him. "How was your trip boss?" he asked.

"I only use the best of transportation Richard. You know that." Sakaki said with an evil grin.

"Of course, sir." the Rocket executive said.

"About the project..." Sakaki said, looking straight forward as they walked towards the door to the stairway.

"Which project sir? The tournament project, or capturing Me-" Richard started to say before he was cut off.

"Of course I mean the latter. You said you had a lead on it. What is it, and where did you get it?" Sakaki said.

"Well, it came from a Pokemon trainer. The same little boy who blew the operation in Vermillion." Richard said.

"Right. I'm still having trouble understanding how you were defeated by a couple of children, but go on." Sakaki said, and Richard opened the door for his boss, and then the two proceed down the stairs.

"Well, apparently, the boy had a run in with the target near Cerulean City." Richard said, and waited for Sakaki's response. When his superior did not respond, he continued. "If this is true, then we should probably send troops there as soon as possible. There is a good chance the Pokemon is still in the area."

"Are you telling me that I flew all the way here... just for hearsay from a child?" Sakaki asked, his voice very stern.

"Sir, don't worry. The boy was with Professor Oak of Pallet Town. The old man seemed pretty sure of the possibility of an actual sighting." Richard said.

"Oak? Yes, I know Oak quite well. If he thinks its possible... Yes. Very good Richard," Sakaki said. "But there is no need to send our troops there now. Not when I've got a much better use for them very soon. First though, we need the boy. If he has indeed seen the Pokemon, then not only do we need to find out the exact location, but we'll need to get rid of him as well."

"Righ sir!" Richard said with a salute.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

After he had finished picking his team, and calling his mother, Matt left the Pokemon Center to get ready for the next round of the tournament. He was getting overly excited, and the team he had chosen had made him quite confident. "Jillian?" he said as the red-haired girl walked in front of him.

"Oh, hey Matt!" she said. "I thought you were still asleep. What are you doing out here?"

"I was just getting ready for my battle today. Where are you going?" he asked her.

"They're unveiling a sculpture in front of the department store, and I was just heading over to see it." Jillian said. "Come on, its gonna start in a few minutes!" she said, grabbing Matt by the wrist and pulling him towards the department store.

Jillian slowed down once they reached the front of the store, where they found a large crowd of people surrounding a pedestal out front. "Oh my gosh! Do you know who that is?" Matt looked over the crowd and saw him, the President of Nipponji. "Its President Tajiri!" she screamed.

"I c-can't b-believe it!" Matt said and gawked at the sight of the leader of the entire nation.

"Thank you for coming to this spectacular event!" the president said. "Now, I am pleased to present to you, a statue over fourteen hundred years in the making." he said, and pulled a golden tarp off of the pedestal, reveling the statue of a little boy with a cat light Pokemon curled around his neck. "The Hero of Broken-Light!" he announced, and the crowd gasped.

"Hero of what?" Matt asked, and Jillian shook her head in confusion as well. "Well, it looks like any ordinary statue to me." he said, getting a better look at it as they made their way closer to the statue. The boy in the statue looked about ten or eleven years old, with long hair that was curling upward at the ends, and was wearing worn-looking pants and a plain t-shirt. "That looks like..." he started to say, then blushed, and looked toward the ground.

"It looks like what? I think it looks like a Mew! Isn't it cute?" Jillian squealed.

"Y-yeah, its Mew..." he said, looking deeply into the eyes of the stone Pokemon. "Hey, that's enough looking for now. How about we go shopping again. I've got a little money left..."

"Sh-shopping?" Jillian asked, and she stared into Matt's eyes for a few seconds. "I always knew we were meant for each other!" she screamed, and grabbed him by the wrist, dragging him into the department store.

Matt and Jillian then split up in the store, with Matt heading up to the roof to over look over the Celadon skyline. "That... girl... wears me out..." he said, catching his breath after escaping. The roof had a small sitting area set up, with a few vending machines. "Yeah, that's what I could use." he said, walking over to the vending machine, and then put three ¥100 bills into the slot. A can of soda pop fell down, and when he took that one out, another one followed. "Score! A free one!" Matt cheered.

"Oh, that looks so good..." someone said from behind. "Now I'm really mad at myself for leaving my wallet in the hotel." the voice said again, and Matt turned around to see Sam, the boy that had introduced him to the tournament.

"Oh, h-hey Sam." Matt said.

"Oh, hey! Matt right? Hey, can I have that soda? I'll pay you back later when I get my wallet." Sam said, and Matt handed him the soda.

"Don't worry about paying me back. I got it for free." he said.

"Wow! Really? Thanks man!" he said, handing Matt a square disc case.

"Wh-what's this?" Matt asked.

"I still feel like I should give you something, so take this. It's TM48. You can use it to teach the move Rock Slide to one of your Pokemon.

"G-gee, thanks!" Matt said.

"No. Thank you. Anyways, I'll see ya around!" Sam said, and walked away.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

"Here we go folks! The last battle of round four! We have Matthew Crimson of Pallet Town verses the young man named Sam! Matt has impressed us all with his last minute techniques, but can he counter Sam's hard hitting, fast paced, power style? This will be a six-on-six battle, and the winner will be decided once one trainer has lost all six of their Pokemon." the referee cried into his microphone, making Matt swallow hard. "Sam, heads or tail?"

"Heads." Sam said.

The referee flipped the coin into the air, and allowed it to fall into his hand. "Heads it it. Sam get's first choice!"

"Let's go Eevee!" Sam shouted, tossing the PokeBall into the air. His Eevee appeared from a flash of light, and curled its fluffy tail around its body as it stared at Matt.

"Eevee eh?" Matt thought to himself. "Normal verses Normal. Go Raticate!" he said, tossing Raticate's ball into the battle.

"Raaaaaah!" the Rat Pokemon screeched. Raticate glared at Eevee, making the fox-like Pokemon shudder.

"And go!" the referee shouted, beginning the battle.

"Now Eevee, start off strong with a Body Slam!" Sam commanded, and Eevee jumped into the air, attempting to slam its entire body into Raticate.

"Dodge it Raticate, and use Hyper Fang!" Matt called with his counter.

Raticate quickly jumped out of the way, and when Eevee crashed into the ground, it bit into the other Normal Type with its razor sharp fangs. "Vuuuuiiiiiii!" Eevee cried out in pain. The Hyper Fang was an incredibly powerful attack that critical damage.

"Eevee, use Rest!" the other trainer called, and Eevee quickly fell asleep.

"Get it now Raticate! While it's asleep, use Hyper Fang again!" Matt commanded, and Raticate clamped its jaws down on the sleeping Pokemon. Eevee continued to sleep, so Matt decided to attack quickly once more. "And again!" he cried, and once again, Raticate bit into the Eevee.

"Eeeeeee!" Eevee cried upon awakening.

"Bad move on my part! Eevee, use Focus Energy!" Sam said, and Eevee began to tighten its focus, focusing on Raticate's most exposed areas.

"Hurry and hit it fast Raticate! Use Quick Attack!" Matt commanded, and Raticate ran towards Eevee an an incredibly, lightning-fast speed, ramming into it.

"V-vui!" Eevee grunted.

"Use your Quick Attack Eevee!" Sam cried, and Eevee ran at Raticate at a faster speed than Raticate, and slammed into its side, doing a great amount of damage.

"Oooh, and its a critical hit!" the referee cried out.

"R-raaahtaaah..." Matt's rat-like Pokemon moaned, and then fainted from the loss of all its HP.

"Return Raticate." he said, calling the Pokemon back to its PokeBall. Sam's Eevee was a very strong Pokemon, and he needed something to counter it quickly. Matt suddenly wished he had brought Cubone with him. "Mr. Mime, its your turn!"

"Mime mime mista mime!" the Psychic Pokemon cheered while clapping its hands.

"Mr. Mime, use Thunderbolt!" Matt commanded, and Mr. Mime used the Electric attack its trainer had taught it through the TM that Surge had given him.

"Vuiiiiiiiii!" Eevee cried out in pain from the electrocuting shocks.

"Eevee, use Focus Energy!" Sam commanded, and the Evolution Pokemon began to focus again, this time on Mr. Mime.

"D-damn, not again!" Matt said. "Quick, Mr. Mime, use Confusion!" he commanded, and the Barrier Pokemon through a ball of psychic energy at Eevee, dealing damage as well as confusing its target.

"Vui ui vui ui vui vui..." Eevee cried as its eyes moved around their sockets freely.

"Quick Attack!" Sam commanded, and Eevee managed to slam its body into Mr. Mime at light speed.

"Thunderbolt!" Matt cried out, and Mr. Mime fired the lightning at its opponent, nearly knocking Mr. Mime out.

"Rest!" Sam commanded, and once again, Eevee fell asleep, instantly healing itself, and curing its status ailment.

"No!" Matt shouted. "Use Thunderbolt again!" he cried out, and once again, Eevee was struck by powerful bolts of orange electricity.

"Vuiiiiiii!" the Pokemon cried out, awakening after a single turn.

"Wh-what!" Matt shouted.

"Now Eevee, use Bite!" Sam commanded of his Pokemon, and Eevee charged at Mr. Mime, sinking its teething into its hand.

"Miiiiisaasaaaaaaaah!" Mr. Mime cried out. The attack seemed to do much more damage than most other attacks Matt had seen done to it, almost like it was of an advantageous Type. "Misstaaah... mime..." Mr. Mime said, and then fell flat on its face.

"What? How did that..." Matt said, and put Mr. Mime back into its pocket. "This... is not going very well..." he said to himself, and then through his next PokeBall into the battle. "I know I can count on you Ivysaur!" he said, and Ivysaur appeared in a blinding flash, instantly ready to fight for its master. "Ivysaur, use Razor Leaf!" Matt commanded, and Ivysaur unleashed a fury of razor-sharp leaves from under its bud that found their way to Eevee, slashing into the Pokemon's body.

"Eevee, use Rest!" Sam commanded.

"No you don't!" Matt cried out. "Ivysaur, use Vine Whip!" he commanded, and Ivysaur used its vines to lift the sleeping Eevee up off the ground, and then slam it back down on the stadium floor.

"V-vui..." Eevee said, standing up momentarily, but then falling back over, unconscious.

"No! Eevee!" Sam cried, running to his Pokemon. "Don't worry Eevee, you fought well, and managed to take down two of his Pokemon. Thank you so much! Now take a good rest in your pocket." he said, putting the Pokemon in its ball. "Good show Matt. Now go Starmie!" he said, tossing his next PokeBall into the air.

"Suta!" the strange, Water and Psychic Pokemon cried out from its mysterious jewel.

"Starmie. Use Psychic!" Sam commanded, and Starmie began to emit a strange, rainbow-like light from its core.

"Saaaaaur!" Ivysaur cried out as the psychic wave slammed into its body.

"Ooohooo! A super-effective attack!" the referee cried out, and the crowd cheered.

"Ai... veeeh..." Ivysaur groaned.

"Iv-Ivysaur..." Matt said to himself, thinking about what to do. "Razor Leaf!" he commanded, rashly shouting the most effective attack he could think of.

"Dodge it Starmie, and use Tri-Attack!" Sam shouted, and Starmie easily dodged the Grass Type attack.

"Suuuutaaaaah... mii!" Starmie cried out, and three balls of light began to form around its core, one blue, one red, and one yellow. "Staaar!" it cried, launching the attack at Bulbasaur, inflicting an incredible amount of damage, and freezing the Seed Pokemon in place.

"Ivysaur!" Matt cried to his Pokemon. "Come on Ivysaur, break out and use Razor Leaf!"

"Don't give it the chance! Use Psychic once more to finish it off!" the other trainer called, and once again, Ivysaur was struck with a powerful Psychic attack.

"Ay...viiii..." the attack thawed Ivysaur out, but it only remained conscious for an instant more.

"N-no..." Matt said. Ivysaur had been defeated too quickly, and Starmie had yet to be touched. He really didn't want to use his newest Pokemon this quickly, but it seemed that he had no choice. He needed an advantage against the Water Pokemon. "Raichu! Go!"

"Chaaaaaaaaw!" the newly evolved Mouse Pokemon cried out as it was released from its PokeBall. "Rai! Raichu!" a bolt of lighting from the sky shot down from the sky into Raichu's cheeks, lighting up the entire arena.

"Whoa! Isn't that quite the show!" the referee said, and the crowd began to cheer even louder.

"That's a very nice Raichu you have there. I'm sorry to say that something is about to happen to it." Sam said with a smile.

"D-don't be so sure." Matt said. "Now Raichu, use your Thunderbolt!" he commanded.

"Dodge it Starmie!" Sam called out, but the Mysterious Pokemon was not fast enough, and the bolt of lightning struck it hard, knocking it back and severely damaging it. "Damn! Starmie, use Psychic!"

"Quick Attack!" Matt commanded, and Raichu ran at Starmie at a speed Matt had never seen before, crashing into the Water and Psychic Pokemon before it could unleash its attack.

"Suuutaaah... mi..." Starmie cried, and then wobbled back a few steps. "Miiiii!" it cried, unleashing a powerful Psychic that slammed into Raichu.

"Raichu!" Matt called to his Pokemon after it had been hit by that powerful blast.

"R-rai..." Raichu panted.

"Sutaah..." Starmie groaned. It was obvious that both Pokemon were becoming exhausted.

"Raichu! Use Thunderbolt!" Matt cried out, and his Pokemon began to charge its electricity.

"No! Stop it with Psychic!" Sam commanded, and Starmie unleashed its attack.

Raichu let go of its electricity, sending an unimaginably bright flash of lighting at the Psychic, and the two attacks collided in mid-air, pushing each other back. "Wh-whoa..." the referee said as he, and the entire audience, watched the two power attacks attempt to break through each other.

"Come on Raichu. Please. I know you can do it." Matt said under his breath, and at that very instant, the Thunderbolt broke through the Psychic in a blinding flash, striking down on the Water and Psychic Type, sending it flying backwards into its masters arms.

"Starmie! Are you okay?" Sam asked his Pokemon.

"Tahmeeeeh..." Starmie moaned.

"Take a good rest." Sam said, putting Starmie back in its PokeBall. "That was... very impressive. You're a worthy opponent Matt. At the beginning of this battle, seeing how two of your Pokemon went down so easily just by my Eevee, I was almost certain I was going to win. Now it seems it could be either of us."

"Rai hai hai!" Raichu laughed.

"Th-thanks Sam..." Matt said with a slight grin and blush in his cheeks.

"Alrighty! Next up... Go Wartortle!" Sam shouted, tossing a PokeBall into the air. In a flash of light, a blue, turtle-like Pokemon with furry ears and a wispy-like tail appeared.

"Wartortle?" Matt asked, taking out his PokeDex.

"_Wartortle, the Turtle Pokemon, and the evolved form of Squirtle. Often hides in dark water to stalk unwary prey. For swimming fast, it moves its ears to maintain balance._" Matt's PokeDex stated in its simulated voice.

"An evolved Squirtle? Then its a Water Type. Sam should know its at a disadvantage to Raichu... What tricks does he have up his sleeves?" Matt thought to himself.

"Wartortle! Use Bite!" Sam commanded, and Wartortle tucked its tail inside of its shell, unleashing a powerful water jet that propelled it towards Raichu, where it clamped down on Raichu's belly with its jaws.

"Chuuuuuuu!" Raichu cried out.

"Raichu, use Thunderbolt!" Matt commanded, but nothing happened. It seemed that Raichu was out of power. "Wh-what?"

"No PP? That's too bad! Wartortle, use Withdraw!" the other trainer called, and Wartortle withdrew its arms, legs, tail, and head into its shell, increasing its defensive power.

"Raichu, use Quick Attack!" Matt screamed, and Raichu launched its body at the withdrawn Wartortle, slamming into its shell.

"Wartortle,... use Skull Bash!" Sam said, and the Water Pokemon shot water out of its tail and leg areas, and rocketed at Raichu, and at the last moment, it stuck its head out of its shell, slamming its read into the Pokemon with an incredible force, knocking Raichu all the way to the other side of the arena.

"R-r-rai..." Raichu said as it stumbled to its feet. "Chuuuu..." it said, fainting from exhaustion.

"Return Raichu." Matt said, calling his Pokemon back. "That... was amazing. I can't tell you how impressed I am Raichu, take a good rest." he said, and then tossed his next PokeBall into the air. "Gyarados! Go!"

"Gyyyyraaaaaah!" the large, blue, serpent like Pokemon screeched as it appeared on the arena floor.

"Gyarados? That... seems like a desperate move to me. Then again, you do only have two Pokemon left." Sam said. The truth was, Matt was starting to get desperate. Sam still had three Pokemon that hadn't been in battle yet, plus his Wartortle, and Matt only had Gyarados and Fearow left. He knew that his next few moves had to count.

"Gyarados, use Dragon Rage!" Matt commanded, and Gyarados spewed a powerful beam of purple fire at Wartortle, knocking it back.

"Skull Bash!" Sam countered, and Wartortle slammed into Gyarados' head like a water rocket.

"Ryaaaaaaaaaaaa!" the Atrocious Pokemon cried as its neck was snapped backwards.

"A critical hit! This is one of the most fantastic battles of this tournament! I've never seen such power from trainers of this level!" the referee shouted.

"Dragon Rage!" Matt commanded, and once again, Gyarados shot a beam of fire-like energy at Wartortle.

"Dodge it Wartortle, and use Bite!" the opposing trainer commanded, and Wartortle jumped out of the way of the Dragon energy, and lunged at Gyarados, biting through the thick scales on its neck.

"Gyraaaaaaaa!" Gyarados cried out and pain and Matt's heart began to beat violently. Gyarados could arguably be his physically strongest Pokemon, and it was barely doing anything to Sam's Wartortle.

"Use your Bite, Gyarados!" Matt commanded, and Gyarados' long body jutted forward, and the Water and Flying Pokemon clomped its powerful jaws around Wartortle's body.

"Tortle!" Wartortle cried, and the sound of splintering echoed across the arena.

"What was that?" Matt asked, and looked over at the horror in Sam's eyes.

"Put it down! Please put it down!" Sam cried out.

"Uh, p-put it down Gyarados." Matt commanded, and Gyarados dropped Wartortle to the ground, and the cracks along its shell were clearly visible. "Oh shoot!" Matt said, looking at the wounds on Wartortle's body. "Is it going to be okay?"

"Y-yeah, it'll be fine after a visit to the Pokemon Center." Sam said, returning his Pokemon. "Now, let's continue. Go Nidoran!" he said, tossing his next PokeBall out into the arena. A small, light blue, rabbit-like Pokemon appeared from the flash of light.

"N-Nidoran!" Matt exclaimed, realizing that this meant that his Gyarados could be exposed to the Poison Pin Pokemon's toxic spikes.

"Nidoran, use Poison Sting!" Sam commanded, and Nidoran shot a series of poisonous needles at Gyarados, causing Gyarados' entire body to flash a purple shade.

"No! Gyarados!" Matt cried out to his Pokemon. "Use Dragon Rage!" he shouted, and Gyarados spewed a powerful ray of Dragon energy at Nidoran, slightly pushing the Pokemon back. "B-but, that did nothing!"

"No, it definitely did something. Dragon Rage is a... mildly powerful attack, and very useful agains Pokemon that have a lower base HP, but I've been giving my Nidoran here plenty of vitamins. HP Ups to be exact. Then you have to take into consideration that my Nidoran isn't necessarily a lower level Pokemon. It could evolve at any time now, but I like it how it is. Maybe I'll evolve it someday, but its not necessary right now." Sam said with a smirk. "Nidoran, use Bite!"

"Gyyyraaaaa!" Gyarados cried out in pain as the Poison Pokemon bit down onto the underside of its body. "Gra gra graaah..." it panted. The poison had already started to take effect.

"Use your Bite now Gyarados!" Matt commanded and the serpent-like Pokemon lunged at Nidoran, and nearly took the entire Pokemon into its mouth before it clamped down.

"Nidooooooo!" Nidoran cried out, and then fainted.

"Wh-what? Yes!" Matt shouted. His confidence had returned from the sheer luck of the critical hit. He was glad to have gotten rid of Nidoran this quickly, because if he had lost Gyarados while Nidoran was still in the battle, it would have left Fearow vulnerable to poison as well. Or at least if Sam's other two Pokemon weren't Poison Types.

"Return Nidoran." Sam said, in a suddenly sullen voice. "That was very unexpected, and very lucky for you." he said, then smiled at Matt. "Good job. This battle is really getting fun! Go Cubone!"

"Cue cubone!" the Ground Pokemon cried out and swung its club around its body.

"Cubone? That's not too bad. At least Gyarados will be able to resist its Ground Type attacks." Matt thought to himself.

"Cubone, use Ice Beam." Sam said with a smirk, knowing that it was not something Matt would expect.

"Wh-what?" Matt excalimed.

"Cuuuuubone!" the Lonely Pokemon cried out as it unleashed and ultra-cold beam of energy that shot right through Gyarados.

"Gy-gyaa..." Gyarados said, stunned by the power that had just passed through it. Thankfully, Gyarados' Water Type half negated the super-effective powers of the Ice attack, but it still did more damage than normal.

"No! Gyarados! Use Dragon Rage!" Matt commanded, and Gyarados shot a ray of Dragon energy at Cubone, knocking it onto its back.

"Cubone, get up, and use Ice Beam one last time!" Sam commanded.

"No! Dodge it Gyarados!" Matt commanded, but it was much too late. The already weakened Gyarados was struck with the Ice Beam, and the last of its HP dropped to zero.

"Gy-gyaaa..." Gyarados moaned, and fell over, causing the ground to shake.

"No! No! This is impossible!" Matt shouted. "This... isn't... no... Return Gyarados..." he said, putting his Pokemon back into its pocket.

"This. Is. It! Matt Crimson has only one Pokemon left! If he loses this last Pokemon, he's out of the battle, and out of the tournament!" the referee shouted, making Matt sweat.

"No. No. No" Matt thought to himself. The only Pokemon he had left was Fearow, which was weak to Ice Type moves. If Fearow got hit by that Ice Beam, it was all over. "G-go Fearow!" he said, tossing the ball into the air. "Fearow, use Fury Attack!" he commanded, and Fearow dove down at Cubone, striking it several times with its sharp beak.

"Cubone, use Ice Beam!" Sam commanded, and Cubone shot a bolt of freezing energy at Matt's Fearow.

"Dodge it!" Matt screamed with fury, and Fearow flew upwards, just out of the way of the attack. "Yes!" he shouted with glee. "Now use Fury Attack again!"

"Blizzard!" Sam called out.

"What? Blizzard!" Matt cried out. "Fall back Fearow! Fall back!" he called to his Pokemon.

Cubone began to spin its club around like a fan. Once it came to an incredible speed, it created a powerful, chilling wind and Fearow was struck by an ultra powerful snowy blizzard.

"Feeeaaaaarowwwwww!" the Beak Pokemon cried out, and then crashed to the ground.

"Oh! And Fearow is taken out with one hit!" the referee cried out.

Matt ran over to the unconscious Fearow and wrapped his arms around its neck. "Its... all over..." he said.

"And the winner of this match is Sam! He will advance to Round Five!" the referee said, and Sam walked up to Matt.

"Don't worry dude. That was an epic battle." Sam said, holding a hand out to Matt. Matt grabbed a hold of it, and Sam pulled him up off the ground.

"Th-thanks..." Matt said, and put Fearow back into its pocket. "I r-really wasn't expecting those attacks from Cubone."

"Yup, that was the plan. Since none of its Ground moves could touch a Flying Pokemon, I needed a way to take them out, so I taught it a couple of Ice Type moves." Sam said. "Well, you put up quite the fight. Maybe sometime we'll meet up again so we have a rematch?"

"S-sure, that'd be great!" Matt said.

Matt has lost the battle and is now out of the tournament. However, he still has quite the challenge ahead of him. How will he fair against the Gym Leader of Celadon City?

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

End of Season 1

Thanks to all of you who have read and reviewed my story. Its taken me quite awhile to get here, and its been a riot. I'm probably going to take a bit of a break from writing this story, and focus on a few others. Once again, thanks!~


End file.
